The deaths of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and the other 95 victims of the Smolensk air disaster last weekend were mourned at a memorial Mass at St Audeon's church in Dublin today.
The mass was attended by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who gave the first reading from the Book of Lamentations.
Polish ambassador to Ireland Tadeusz Szumowski, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello, several local and national politicians, embassy staff and a large group of Polish and Irish nationals also attended.
Chief celebrant Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said distinguished representatives of a generation of figures who had worked to build a democratic Europe-orientated Poland had been "wiped away in one incident".
There was great shock that an event of reconciliation, to which the aircraft had been travelling, on the anniversary of the Katyn tragedy had been overtaken by a new tragedy, he said. The grief aroused by the loss of life went far beyond natural human reaction to a tragedy, he said.
"Our grief is greater by the fact that the relationship between Ireland and Poland has taken on truly new dimensions in recent years. Ireland and Poland belong to a European family and our grief has taken on a family dimension."
Polish people had made a huge contribution to Irish society, economy and the life of Irish communities, he said.
"We already have more than one generation of young people who are Polish-Irish and Irish-Poles. We grieve therefore with a neighbour nation, but we also grief with our Polish next-door neighbours stunned by such a tragedy."
Dr Martin prayed that those who mourned would find peace and that the work of reconciliation of which the Katyn celebrations were to be a symbol, would be taken forward by generations of future Europeans.
"In faith we know that the Lord will recognise and recompense those who died in the Smolensk disaster as they journeyed to an event of reconciliation based on truth and integrity. We know that the fruits of their efforts will not be annihilated by tragedy."
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