Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko

Feb 162010

19 October

Profile

Born to a farm family. Ordained on 28 May 1972 in the archdiocese of Warsaw, Poland. Noted and vocal anti-Communist preacher during the period of Communist rule in Poland. Worked closely with the anti-Communist Solidarity union movement. When martial law was declared in Poland to suppress opposition, the Church continued to work against the Communists, and Father Jerzy’s sermons were broadcast on Radio Free Europe. The secret police threatened and pressured him to stop, but he ignored them. They trumped up evidence and arrested him in 1983, but the Church hierarchy indicated that they would fight the charges; the false charges were dropped, Father Jerzy was released, continued his work, and was pardoned in a general amnesty of 22 July 1984. The Communists tried several times to kill him and make it look like an accident or anonymous attack, but they quit hiding their intentions, and the secret police simply kidnapped and killed Father Jerzy. Martyr.

Born

14 September 1947 in Okopy, Podlaskie, Poland

Died

kidnapped on 19 October 1984 by the Sluzba Bezpieczenstwa (Security Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs), the Communist Polish secret police
beaten to death from 19 to 20 October 1984 near Wloclawek, Pomorskie, Poland
body dumped in the Vistula Water Reservoir where it was found on 30 October 1984
the murderers and their supervisor, Grzegorz Piotrowski, Waldemar Chmielewski, Adam Pietruszka, and Leszek Pêkala, were arrested, convicted of the crime, and received light sentences
more than 250,000 attended Father Jerzy’s funeral
buried at Saint Kostka’s Church, Warsaw, Poland

Venerated

19 December 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI (decree of martyrdom)

Beatified

6 June 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI
recognition to be celebrated at Piłsudski Square, Warsaw, Poland, presided by Archbishop Angelo Amato

Canonized

if you have information relevant to the canonization of Blessed Jerzy, contact
   Rev. Tomasz Kaczmarek
   Kosciol Sw. Stanislawa Kostki
   ul. Hozjusza 2
   01-565 Warszawa, POLAND

Additional Information

MLA Citation

“Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko”. Saints.SQPN.com. 16 February 2010. Web. 20 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/blessed-jerzy-popieluszko/>