Solidarity Priest Laid To Rest In Gdansk

Father Henryk Jankowski, one of the famed "Solidarity Chaplains", has been laid to rest in Gdansk. He was 74.

The funeral ceremony was held in St. Bridget's Church, an erstwhile meeting place of Solidarity activists.

Father Jankowski was a confidante of Lech Walesa, and enjoyed immense popularity in the 1980s. However, after the fall of communism, his reputation became tarnished. He made some ill-judged remarks about "Jews in the government," and the Institute of National Remembrance claimed that he had in fact been an informer for the communists. His right to preach was in fact taken away from him for one year, and Jankowski became embroiled in some business ventures (several of which were considered unbefitting a man of his background).

Nevertheless, many remained loyal to Jankowski, and although grandees such as Walesa did not attend the funeral service, over 1500 of the faithful flocked to the church.