Hlond und Slowenen: Mission des päpstlichen Legaten in Ljubljana

Abstract

One of the tasks assigned by the Holy See to Cardinal August Hlond, the Primate of Poland, was his participation at the International Eucharistic Congresses on three continents: Africa, America and Europe. Eucharistic congresses were a form of public manifestations of faith in which the cardinal participated; moreover, in Poland, he was their creator and chief architect. He considered this an effective method for the new evangelization and rebirth of man and state. As a representative of the Polish Church, Hlond took part at the International Eucharistic Congresses in Carthage (Tunisia), Dublin (Ireland) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). He represented the Holy Father Pius XI as a papal legate at the International Congress of Christ the King in Poznań (Poland) and the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest. However, for the first time, Cardinal August Hlond appeared as a representative of the Pope in 1935 at the National Eucharistic Congress in the city of Ljubljana, Yugoslavia. In today’s capital of Slovenia, he saw the strength of faith and dedication of the Slovenian people centred around the Church and state authorities. In 1939 he returned to Ljubljana as a papal legate to solemnly open the VI International Congress of Christ the King. In this unique city, he encouraged ‚beloved Slavic brothers‘ and the faithful from all over the world to ‚remain in the Church‘. The Servant of God, August Hlond, saw his task in the Slavic world as a cultural mission. He was deeply convinced that at the time of decay of the European civilization, an era was coming in which the Slavic culture would play a historical role. The precondition for the success of this idea was to come closer to each other and be acquainted with other Slavs.