November 10, 2023 · Faith
400 years ago, Greek Catholic Archbishop Josaphat Kunzewytsch was killed by a mob. A saint of Catholic unity who also left his mark in Vienna.
Throughout history, witnesses to the faith have often been forced to flee, and Saint Josaphat Kuntsevich is no exception. 400 years ago, on November 12, 1523, the Greek Catholic archbishop of Polotsk was killed by opponents of church union in Vitebsk (present-day Belarus) during the liturgy. However, his escape continued for many centuries after his violent death.
The saint’s remains were threatened several times in the following centuries, and attempts were even made to destroy his remains to erase his memory. The relics were adventurously rediscovered and brought to Vienna in 1916 to protect them from Russian access. They were kept in the Josaphat Chapel of St. Barbara’s Church in Postgasse for almost 40 years.
The committed Father Myron Hornykewytsch of Santa Barbara promoted the veneration of the “Martyr of Unity” beyond the small Greek Catholic community. The celebrations of the 300th anniversary of his martyrdom in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in November 1923 contributed significantly to the saint’s veneration in Vienna and to raising awareness of the cause of unity with the Eastern Churches.
After the Second World War, the relics were again at risk of falling into the hands of the Soviet occupiers. Pastor Hornykewitsch first hid them in the crypt of St. Stephen and, with the help of the American occupiers, finally managed to transport them unmolested to Rome, where they are today at the request of John XXIII. resting at the altar of St. Basil in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The last remaining relics in Vienna were recently buried in the main altar of St. Barbara on the occasion of the church’s recent renovation. Due to his exemplary missionary commitment and martyrdom, Josaphat Kunzewytsch continues to be an important identifying figure in the Greek Catholic Church, especially in Ukraine.
To mark the 400th anniversary of his martyrdom, an exhibition was recently opened at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, curated by the Lithuanian Ambassador to the Holy See. Jehoshaphat was honored as a connecting figure between Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Belarus.
created by: Georg Schimmerl
11/10/2023