Holy Week marks a distinctive season for Christians as they prepare to encounter the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection. In the Christmas issue of the weekly Sieci, Grzegorz Górny reflects on how the Easter Mystery has been perceived by renowned mystics. The magazine also offers a special supplement For Easter and timely commentaries on political life in Poland and around the world.
Articles are available by subscription: https://wpolityce.pl/tygodniksieci/wydanie-biezace.
The Paschal Mystery through the Eyes of Mystics
Easter brings joy and renewal, yet it is inseparable from the suffering and martyrdom of Christ, foundational to the message of salvation. As Grzegorz Górny observes in The Paschal Mystery through the Eyes of Mystics, this depth has engaged Christian mystics for centuries, and some have received the grace to join in Christ’s Passion in a real sense.
The first stigmata in Christian history is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, who, during a prayer on Mount La Verna in Italy between September 15 and 29, 1224, received wounds bearing the marks of Christ. Over subsequent centuries, similar marks appeared on the bodies of several hundred believers, including Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Rita of Cascia, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint John of the Cross, and Blessed Anna Catherine Emmerich. Much medical documentation exists for figures such as Louise Lateau, Teresa Neumann, Saint Padre Pio, and Natuzza Evolo. In all these cases, researchers confirmed the authenticity of stigmata as wounds that appeared spontaneously, persisted without fester or rot, and did not heal in the ordinary sense, yet science struggled to explain them. What science cannot fully explain rests in the realm of faith.
— noted by a columnist for the weekly Sieci.
While stigmatization is most often associated with Western Christian mystics, there is a documented case from Damascus involving Myrna Nazzour, a 60-year-old follower of the Melkite Church, one of the Eastern Catholic communities accepting papal authority.
This Syrian Christian has borne stigmatic wounds since 1984, appearing on Good Friday and aligning with years when Eastern and Western churches celebrate Easter together. The timing allowed extensive scientific study, with teams from France, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and the United States visiting Damascus in 1987, 1990, 2001, and 2004 equipped with modern instruments. Observations repeatedly showed a phenomenon resistant to medical explanation. Each occurrence appeared spontaneously and vanished without a trace, while cameras captured the events.
— explained Grzegorz Górny.
Butcher’s Work by Minister Sienkiewicz
Recent weeks focused on holding Donald Tusk accountable for the initial 100 days of his administration. Many observers are not surprised by the pace of implementing promises, which has drawn sharp criticism. Piotr Gliński, in an interview with Jacek and Michał Karnowski, characterizes the period as a collapse and dismantling of prior achievements by the United Right government, a sentiment echoed in Sieci’s commentary.
The political landscape today shows signs of erosion in democratic norms in Poland, with concerns that power is being exercised in ways that resemble autocratic tendencies. Critics point to perceived encroachments on public media, cultural institutions, and the judiciary, arguing that the legal framework is frequently invoked to justify political ends. These analyses stress a climate where social influence and institutional integrity are tested under pressure.
Gliński also notes that the government’s influence extends into the ministry he leads, highlighting attempts to control public media and to alter cultural institutions. Investments have faced suspensions or delays, with formal reasons often cited as budgetary constraints. The closures touch major cultural venues and cultural projects that were under development, including national museums, theatres, and a future design and architecture center. The scope of halted or postponed projects underscores a broader conversation about national memory and public life.
— emphasized by a commentator from Sieci.
Stab in Your Eye
Prime Minister Donald Tusk reflected on the first hundred days in a press briefing, suggesting his administration achieved more than any previous government in the Third Polish Republic. Marek Pyza, in The Poland Watch, contends that these months resembled a spectacle of power struggles rather than meaningful reform, casting the period as a battleground of competing interests.
The narrative claims that the coalition’s reach extended into state enterprises, with leadership roles and boards filled by trusted figures. Proposals for new governance bodies were framed as competitive processes, yet critics argue that the selections favored party loyalists. Media management, legislative dynamics, and public discourse are described as shaped to stabilize coalition influence while foregrounding political messaging. The debate continues over whether these moves serve long-term national interests or concentrate authority excessively.
According to Pyza, the government has faced opposition challenges in the Sejm, from veto debates to procedural interruptions, creating a sense of ongoing political friction. The dialogue surrounding these events reflects a broader national debate about the balance between parliamentary procedure, executive action, and democratic accountability.
The magazine also features extended columns exploring the events in the political sphere. Readers will find insights from Stanisław Janecki, Konrad Kołodziejewski, Jakub Augustyn Maciejewski, Marek Budzisz, Maciej Walaszczyk, and others. Several thoughtful pieces examine questions about the state’s direction, the role of memory in public life, and the relationship between science, culture, and expertise.
Additional recommended readings include Wojciech Lady’s The Forgotten Panorama, Przemysław Barszcz’s Why the Lamb, Jan Rokita’s The Story of Fossanov, Artur Ceyrowski’s The Bells of Gdańsk Are Coming Home, and Maciej Walaszczyk’s Our National Clock, among others.
The Sieci family also features commentary from Krzysztof Feusette, Dorota Łosiewicz, Bronisław Wildstein, Andrzej Rafał Potocki, Marta Kaczyńska-Zielińska, Wojciech Reszczyński, Alexander Nalaskowski, Katarzyna and Andrzej Zybertowicz, offering a broad view of current events.
More in the new Sieci issue. Online access to current articles begins March 25 as part of the subscription: https://wpolityce.pl/tygodniksieci/wydanie-biezace.
Additionally, the weekly recommends watching the television program wPolsce.pl.
Additional names appear within the extended byline of contributors, enriching the magazine’s perspective on culture, politics, and faith.
Source: wPolityce