KrakowInformer.com

Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria have died, along with tens of other officials

At noon Krakow paused to listen to Sigsmund's Bell

at  Wawel foothill

Wojewoda Kracik signing the condolence book

At around 8.45 Polish time government plane TU 154 crashed near Smolensk, Russia with 89 people on board. There was no survivors. Death list opens with President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, and includes many Polish MP's, senators, heads of Polish armed forces and other major government officials.

The President and his crew were heading for commemorative ceremony to Katyn, Russia, a place where in 1940 the Red Army soldiers treacherously killed several thousands of Polish army and government officers.

Today Krakow's streets and churches were filled in with people who came to pray and give their honour to the victims. At noon Sigmund's Bell announced national mourning from Wawel cathedral and Krakowians are still coming and lighting candles in Wawel hill, Katyn comemorative cross in Grodzka St. and the seat of Malopolska region's authorities. At 5.30 PM a Holy Mass was celebrated in Wawel cathedral. No cultural events and festivals will be held next week. At Sunday noon Poland will commemorate the victims with two minutes of silence.

Words of sympathy are incoming from all over the world. Russia, Georgia and Lithuania have also announced national mourning. Polish expatriates and Polish minority members gather near embassies to unite with their countrymen in pain.

What happened in Smolensk is a tragedy we don't even realize fully yet. Our hearts are filled with pain and grief, as we have lost the First Couple, the MPs, also from Malopolska, all army forces' commanders, Church officials and many notable people from our public life. This is a tragedy for their families, but also for all of Poland. By displaying a condolence book we hope that whoever wishes to commemorate the dead will feel inclined to do so on its pages - wrote Stanislaw Kracik, wojewoda (provincial governor) of Malopolska.