A railway company in Catholic Poland is set to install confessional boxes on trains to encourage Catholic passengers to confess their sins in the run-up to Christmas.
Regional operator ‘Koleje Małopolskie’ (Lesser Poland Railways) is behind the move in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship region of Poland.
It is planning to install the confession service on trains by putting boxes manned by a priest or a monk to absolve passengers of their sins during the two days before Christmas.
CEO Grzegorz Stawowy said: “We have been considering the idea of organising a pre-Christmas confession on our trains since September.”
Mr Stawowy said the company had consulted with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Krakow and also local Dominican monks as many brothers are also ordained as priests who can hear confessionals.
He added: “The monks liked the idea so much that they wanted the confession to be organised even more often than on the two pre-Christmas days we had proposed.”
Mr Stawowy said the confession service would only be available in one carriage on each train and should not affect other passengers.
However, the company’s plans have prompted a lively debate online with commentators divided between those in favour of the move and those fiercely against.
The railway company subsequently stressed that all views would betaken into account in planning the service.
The confession service will be available on 21st and 24th December once the details have been finalised.
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Story By: Bartosz Staszewski, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
