The Speaker of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia, has attempted to explain the photographs taken of him during the funeral of Pope Francis. A photo posted by Vatican News PL caused a considerable stir online, with users on platform X expressing outright embarrassment for the second-highest official in the Polish state. Hołownia defended himself, mentioning homeless individuals. Even coalition partners from Poland 2050 have noted the illogical nature of his explanation.
On Saturday, the Vatican hosted the funeral of Pope Francis. Many world leaders participated in the ceremonies held in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. A delegation from Poland was also present, including President Andrzej Duda with his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda, and notably, the Speaker of the Sejm, Szymon Hołownia. The behaviour of the second-ranking official in Poland drew significant attention online.
The controversy arose from a photograph taken by the Vatican News portal. It shows the Speaker entering the ceremonial area with a phone in hand.
Many observers interpreted this as the leader of Poland 2050 attempting to take a souvenir photo during the funeral of the Holy Father. PiS MP Michał Woś claimed the situation was even more troubling.
“Embarrassing. It wasn’t just a single selfie. The guy behaved like a school kid on a field trip. He kept snapping pictures for so long that I calmly pulled out my phone and managed to capture him in a photo,”
wrote the PiS politician.
The photo featuring Hołownia quickly gained widespread attention. Eventually, the Speaker himself addressed the matter:
“You must have no shame to wage a political war at such a moment. I invited individuals experiencing homelessness to join the flight to the Pope’s funeral. They represent a group to whom Francis extended special care. We prayed, we reflected, we documented the moment, and we will remember it forever,”
Hołownia wrote.
He added: “For those interested, I attach proof of what truly matters today: a Vatican full of mourners, including many of our compatriots.”
Hołownia’s explanation did not go unnoticed. Many found it even more absurd than the idea of taking selfies at such a solemn ceremony. Even members of Poland 2050’s coalition expressed bewilderment at Hołownia’s invocation of the homeless as a defence.
“How does a plane trip help them overcome homelessness? Why are you using homeless individuals as a prop for your personal display of mercy?”
– wrote Anna Żukowska, chairwoman of the Parliamentary Club of the New Left. Numerous similar comments surfaced—not only from political allies.
In the broader discussion, it is worth noting what was posted on Hołownia’s Instagram profile on the day of the funeral—a video at the end of the text—as well as the fact that Hołownia was not the only one who sought to turn the Pope’s funeral into an occasion worth documenting.