Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz, sanctioned by the Vatican for sexually abusing minors and covering up clerical paedophilia crimes, remains an honorary citizen of Vilnius District.
Several streets in Nemenčinė, Pakalniai and Punžonys also still bear the late clergyman’s name.
Gulbinowicz, born in the village of Šukiškės in Vilnius District, served as archbishop of Wrocław and was elevated to cardinal in 1985. He died in November 2020. Before his death, the Vatican imposed disciplinary sanctions on him over multiple cases of child sexual abuse, shielding child-abusing priests and a 16-year collaboration with the security services of the People’s Republic of Poland.
The Vilnius district council granted him honorary citizenship in 2015.
Mayor Robert Duchnevič, a Social Democrat, told LRT.lt that he currently sees no reason to reopen the matter, noting that it was raised previously but rejected by the council’s majority, which is dominated by the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance (LLRA–KŠS).
“Today the council majority is made up of the same people, and their position on this issue is unequivocal,” Duchnevič said, adding that the question should eventually be revisited.
Waldemar Urbanas, chair of the LLRA–KŠS faction in the council, said he was unsure of his party’s final stance and whether it would pursue any initiatives. Still, he noted that someone holding honorary citizenship should have an unblemished reputation.
Lithuania’s Ministry of Culture had not revoked the state honour “Bring Your Light and Believe” from Gulbinowicz after 2020. The ministry has now annulled the award by ministerial order.
Other honorary citizens of Vilnius District include European Parliament member and LLRA–KŠS leader Waldemar Tomaszewski, priests Juzef Obrembski, Antonius Dziekanas and Dariusz Stanczyk, Polish lawyer and politician Andrzej Stelmachowski, and politician and activist Leokadija Počikovska.
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