Poland's Cardinal Glemp dies at 83

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WARSAW, Poland, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Cardinal Jozef Glemp, who led Poland's Roman Catholics through the transition from Communism to democracy, has died at age 83, the Archbishop of Warsaw said.

In a statement, Archbishop Kazimierz Nycz said Glemp died of lung cancer after a long illness, and called for prayers.

Glemp was appointed Primate of Poland in 1981, the year martial law was declared by Communist authorities, a position he held until 2009, the Polish Press Agency said Thursday.

"He understood that the Church of Poland is always associated with the nation. The Primate was aware, however, that the Church can never be a substitute for public authorities, political or administrative," recalled the current Primate, Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk.