On Friday, 14 December at 11.00 a.m. in the main hall of the Sejm, the traditional Christmas wafer meeting of the parliamentarians was held. The meeting was attended, among others, by the Speakers of the Sejm and Senate, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Vice Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, and heads of Chancelleries.

- In this special time for our homeland, I would like to wish you that the unique atmosphere of Christmas lasts every day. May it inspire and encourage us to build together a good future for Poland. I would like to wish all of you that we fulfill the message of Christmas every day, so that our work and joint efforts will always help to restore hope and joy in every Polish home. I am glad that we are meeting in the exceptional for Poland year of the centenary of rebirth of our Homeland. A year that unites all Poles and reminds us of the great heritage of Poland. In this special moment I wish you that the coming year will bring much good for Poland. I wish you all success in your parliamentary and senatorial activities, as well as in your family and personal lives. May the Star of Bethlehem always show us the best and the most important way - said the Speaker of the Sejm Marek Kuchcinski.

- This year we were looking for what unites us, because in everyday political disputes we know what divides us. But in the year of the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence, we knew that we were united by the red and white color. Let this red and white colour unite us also in the next important year - the 30th anniversary of transformation, the 4th of June and fully free elections to the Senate. Let us also be together then. I wish you peaceful, family-oriented and good Christmas. At your Christmas tables, I wish you to talk about everyone's problems, but in peace, and to have time for family. Because we parliamentarians miss our families so much, but our families also miss us. We will now be able to meet and talk about our family problems," added Senate Speaker Stanisław Karczewski.

During the meeting a fragment of the Holy Scripture was read and Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz blessed the wafers. - We gather at the tables on Christmas Eve for various reasons. Because we want to be like a family community, because we want to be close to each other on that day, because of our deep faith, but sometimes also because of custom and tradition. We have the right to come. We welcome at this table all those who come also for other reasons and we respect this attitude, but also as Christians we want all of us to be able to respect what we grow out of as Poland, what Europe grows out of - Christian custom and culture. Even if the Gospel we have just read is not fully accepted by us for reasons of faith. Man and his salvation, his good, are the fundamental goal of the mystery of the incarnation, and it is also the fundamental goal of you who work here - to serve man and to serve the common good. Those are the two basic words: man and the common good. That is why this work is beautiful - said Cardinal Nycz.

After listening to the Cardinal's words and praying together, the MPs broke the wafer and wished each other. The ceremony was highlighted by a performance of the "Mazowsze" band.

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Photo: Andrzej Soboń