Cardinal Jozef Glemp

Retired Cardinal Jozef Glemp of Warsaw, who served as primate of the Catholic Church in Poland during the final years of communism and during the restoration of democracy, died Jan. 23 at the age of 83.

Offering his condolences to Polish Catholics, Pope Benedict said Glemp had a “profound love for God and for man, which was his light, inspiration and strength in the difficult ministry of guiding the Church at a time when significant social and political transformations were taking place in Poland and Europe.”

Glemp was a controversial figure in Poland during the communist regime’s imposition of martial law in the early 1980s.

While he urged Catholics not to resist the clampdown, he continued to support the right of priests to speak out in defence of freedom and respect for human rights.

During his 25 years as Warsaw archbishop, he ordained more than 1,200 priests.