New book on Pope John Paul II stirs up heated debate in Polish politics

A statue of the late Pope John Paul II stands in front of a church in Warsaw, Poland, March 8, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's ruling nationalists want parliament to pass a resolution on Thursday defending the name of John Paul II after a new book said the late pope knowingly covered up clerical paedophilia scandals when he was archbishop of Krakow.

The allegations about John Paul, who was the first Polish pope, have provoked fierce debate in one of Europe's most devoutly Roman Catholic nations.