Tragedy in Russia - Poland

Reports are coming in that the plane of the President of Poland has crashed in Russia. Preliminary reports suggest there are no survivors. The Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, and his wife were enroute to Smolensk for ceremonies honoring the many thousands of Polish military officers and civil servants who were massacred by the Soviets under orders from Stalin during World War II. The ceremonies were to be held in the Katyn Forest, the site where the majority of the murders took place.

There is a long and very painful history of bad blood between Poland and Russia going back centuries. It is only in recent years that there have been signs of a thawing in Russo-Polish relations. Let us pray that this tragedy does nothing to harm relations between these two countries that both suffered from the twin horrors of invasion by the Nazis and prolonged oppression under the Communists.

May the memory of those killed be eternal. And may God grant comfort to those who mourn them.

Update: More preliminary reports state that there were 132 people on board the plane including the head of the Polish Army and other very senior members of the Polish government. All reports are confirming that there are no survivors.

This is a horrific disaster.

Update 0247 PDLT: A very preliminary list of some of the more important casualties include...

Lech Kaczyński - the President of Poland

Maria Kaczyńska - the First Lady

Ryszard Kaczorowski - last Polish President in exile

Jerzy Szmajdziński - Vice Speaker of the Lower House

Krzysztof Putra - Vice Speaker of the Lower House

Władysław Stasiak - chief of the President's Chancellary

Aleksander Szczygło - chief of the Office for National Security

Paweł Wypych - Presidential Secretary of State

Mariusz Handzlik - as above

Andrzej Kremer - vice Minister of Foreign Affairs

General Franciszek Gągor - Chief of Staff of the Polish Army

Przemysław Gosiewski - Prominent Politician

Zbigniew Wassermann - as above

Janusz Kochanowski - Polish ombudsman

Sławomir Skrzypek - Director of the Polish National Bank

Janusz Kurtyka -Chief of the Institute for the National Rememberance

Bishop Tadeusz Płoski - Roman Catholic field bishop of the Polish Army (head Catholic chaplain)

Archbishop Miron Chodakowski - Eastern Orthodox field bishop of the Polish Army