St. Josaphat - Nov. 12th

 

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Josaphat, bishop and martyr, who was born in 1580 in Poland to Orthodox parents. His birth name was John Kunsevich. His mother raised him in the fear of the Lord and in his tender heart formed longings for virtue. As a child, he would separate himself from the games of his companions in order to pray. He learned a large section of the Divine Office by heart and was faithful in praying it everyday. He became Catholic of the Byzantine Rite. He studied philosophy and theology under two famous Jesuits.

In 1604, when took the religious habit as he entered the Order of St. Basil, at twenty years of age, he took the name Josaphat. He thoroughly reformed the order, giving the order a more active character. He was ordained a priest and began to preach in various churches to many dissidents. Through his boundless charity and powerful preaching, he established unity with the Uniate Church. So well known, did his wisdom and knowledge become, that he was recommended, to the Pope by his own people to rule over them as archbishop in 1617. In this office he campaigned intensively for the conversion of the schismatics, and reform the clergy in his diocese. He restored five major cathedrals, aided the poor and maintained total frugality in his residence. Soon, St. Josaphat had an enemy, who made himself bishop of the same city in which Josaphat was bishop. In a very short period of time, many of the people of the city began to follow the false archbishop, who sought power over the people. An uprising occurred which resulted in the archdeacon being wounded on the head and left for dead. When Bishop Josaphat went to calm the turmoil, he knew it would be the end of his life. At the age of 44, Josaphat they cruelly assassinated him and profaned his body.

After five days, when his mortal remains were recovered from a river, and exposed for 9 days, his body constantly emitted a fragrance of roses and lilies. One of the councilors, who had abandoned the faith, immediately came back to the Church, when he saw the countenance of the St. Josaphat. The archbishop gladly went to his death in order to reunite the schism. About four years after the death of Josaphat, the false archbishop repented and lived a life of penance and prayer. Such changes of heart are the result of the sanctity of St. Josaphat. About 5 years after his death, his body was found incorrupt, though his clothes had rotted away. Again, in 1637, his body was found white and supple. After a hundred forty years in 1767, the body was still found incorrupt. It was eventually taken to St. Peter’s basilica in Rome and he was canonized in 1867, as the first Eastern saint by Pope Leo XIII.

Pope Pius XI said, “St. Josaphat is rightly looked upon, as the great glory and strength of the Eastern Rite Slavs. Few have brought them greater honor, or contributed more, to their spiritual welfare than Josaphat, their pastor and apostle, especially when he gave his life, as a martyr for the unity of the Church.”

Today, let us pray for unity among all Christians, especially between the East and West. And if necessary, and if God so ordains it, may we lay down our life for truth and unity, in imitation of St. Josaphat, the martyr.