Scandal brings down Warsaw archbishop
Warsaw's Roman Catholic community were shocked by the revelations
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Sunday, 07, Jan 2007 01:15
The new archbishop of Warsaw has been forced to resign after admitting he co-operated with secret police during Poland's communist period.
Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus is to be replaced just two days into his new role in charge of the spiritual health of the Polish capital's Roman Catholics, the Vatican said in a brief statement.
His predecessor, Cardinal Jozef Glemp, will unexpectedly extend his 25-year tenure until a replacement is found.
"There are plenty of important documents which confirm Wielgus' willingness for. cooperation," the Reuters news agency reported a statement from the Church commission investigating the allegations as saying.
"The documents ... show some opinions of intelligence service officials that suggested that the actions of Stanislaw Wielgus could have done harm to people from Church circles."
Poland's dominant Roman Catholic community provided a strong basis for resistance to communist rule during its occupation in the Soviet era, increasing the gravity of Archbishop Wielgus' collaboration with the communist secret police.
Allegations against Archbishop Wielgus originally surfaced before Christmas in the Polish media.