Grodno authorities reject 10,000-signature petition to name street after John Paul II :: Charter'97 :: News

The Grodno city authorities have rejected a 10,000-signature petition to name a street in the city after the late Pope John Paul II. The signature collection campaign was initiated by the Polish Educational Society (Polska Macierz Szkolna).

The Society, in particular, proposed giving the pontiff’s name to a section of a street where a Polish-language school is located and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is building a cathedral, Stanislav Senkevich, head of the Society, told BelaPAN.

The petition was filed with the City Executive Committee and the City Soviet.

A deputy chairman of the Grodno City Executive Committee reportedly replied that the authorities could not grant the request because of financial difficulties.

However, Mr. Senkevich noted that the Society still “hoped for the authorities’ understanding.”
It intends to collect 20,000 signatures to another petition to the authorities.

“In the entire world, John Paul II has destroyed intolerance barriers and raised the sprouts of tolerance in the souls of people,” Mr. Senkevich said. “Thanks to John Paul II, we also live today in a country that may freely call itself a Christian one.”