Titled Saint John Paul II and Robert Schuman: Patrons of a United Europe, the exhibition is hosted at the Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszyński and was organized as part of Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Bożena Żelazowska, a Polish deputy minister of culture and national heritage, emphasized the significance of both figures, saying: “John Paul II and Robert Schuman were exceptional individuals who, through their faith, determination, wisdom and work, pursued unity and peace—values that Europeans continue to enjoy today.”
The late Polish-born pope consistently advocated for bridging divides between East and West and championed human dignity, she added.
Warsaw’s metropolitan archbishop, Adrian Galbas, also spoke at the exhibition’s opening, recalling John Paul II’s 1995 speech in Skoczów, where the pontiff stressed the need for “people of conscience” in Poland.
Pope John Paul II, pictured in 1984. Photo: Quirinale.it, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons
“That call remains just as relevant in 2025: Europe needs them; the Church needs them,” Galbas said.
He warned that no matter how well-designed policies or projects might be, they would ultimately fail if carried out by individuals lacking moral integrity.
The exhibition highlights the legacy of Robert Schuman, the Luxembourg-born German-French statesman and one of the architects of European unity.
Schuman believed that only people with a strong moral compass—expressed through honesty, a love of truth, and a commitment to reconciliation and mutual respect—could build a true European community. Without such principles, he argued, Europe would remain a mere collection of states rather than a cohesive whole.
Adam Struzik, chairman of Poland's central Mazowieckie province, pointed to the impact of John Paul II’s stance on European integration in the lead-up to Poland’s 2003 referendum on joining the European Union.
“It was the only referendum in which more than 50 percent of eligible voters participated," Struzik said.
"Without his support, we might be in the same place as Belarus today,” he remarked.
The exhibition presents historical photographs and texts illustrating the formation of the European Union and the role of John Paul II and Robert Schuman in promoting European solidarity.
Originally displayed in French and English in Belgium, France and Luxembourg, the exhibition is now available in Polish and English in Warsaw, where it will run until April 8.
(rt/gs)
Source: dzieje.pl