Lublin

The third Congress of Christian Culture opened today at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.

Michał Krupa reports from Lublin

The theme for this year's proceddings is „Dignity or success? Modern cultural dilemmas". During the first day of the Congress, a number of scholars and clergy were acknowledged for their role in the continuing cultural and social dialogue between Poland and Ukraine, with the „Memoria iustorum" distinction award.

Two main highlights of the day were the „Honoris Causa" doctorates awarded to prof. Andrei Riccardi, a well-known Catholic historian, and Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, who is the current metropolitan bishop of Minsk in the Belarus and formerly served as metropolitan of the Catholic diocese in Moscow.

Prof. Riccardi's lecture entitled „Spiritual values in the process of integration in contemporary Europe" emphasized and stressed the importance of Christianiaty as a cultural building block, capable of successfully integrating the Old Continent. Like St. Paul-he stated- Christians today must proclaim Christ in contemporary „areopags".

Abp. Kondrusiewicz, who's lecture „How to not link Christianity and politics", pointed to the current need of not directly intertwining the realm on institutionalized religion and political institutions. Authentic Christianity is manifested first and foremost by the defence and giving witness to Divine Law which is not subject to compromise. Christian politicians give a significant contribution to the Church, when they promote moral and religious values-concluded Kondrusiewicz. 

The Congress will last until Sunday and will feature a large variety of discussions and panels on topics ranging from Christian culture to the subject of inter-religious dialogue.