Lviv politicians and public activists have appealed to the City Mayor Andriy Sadovy, calling to rename one of the streets after Pope John Paul II. The petition was filed to the Mayor on August 17 by Lviv regional organization of the “Ukrainian Patriots Association – UKROP”, NGOs “VARTA-700” and “Economic boycott movement”. Initiators of renaming believe that in this way Lviv community will declare the readiness for mutual understanding between the Ukrainian and Polish peoples, despite the attempts of some politicians to interpret ambiguously certain historical events.
The appeal states that St. John Paul II, who had Ukrainian roots, is a symbol of decency, optimism, humanity and love of neighbours for both – the Poles and the Ukrainians. Thus the proposal to name one of the city streets after him calls for mutual understanding among ordinary people on both sides of the Ukrainian-Polish border.
“Such a position of Lviv residents would demonstrate loyalty to the decisions of the Second Vatican Council that united the Orthodox East, in particular the Ukrainian Church, with the Catholic Church in 1962, when the representatives of churches gathered for togetherness and renewal of the world,” says the document.
The authors of the appeal called on the members of religious communities, Lviv public and other political forces to support this idea.
As it is known, in June 2001 Pope John Paul II visited Ukraine.
