St. Josaphat

St. Josaphat Kunsevich was born in 1580 or 1584 in what is now Belarus, during a time of great religious and political turmoil. The Eastern Church had been formally separated from Rome since the Great Schism of 1054, but in the late 16th century, an Orthodox metropolitan of Kiev and five Orthodox bishops decided to commit the millions of Christians under their pastoral care to reunion with Rome. This historic decision, known as the Union of Brest-Litovsk (1595-96), took place when Josaphat was still a young boy, but he would witness both the positive and negative results of this attempt at church unity.

The young Josaphat grew up in a world where millions of Christians did not agree with their bishops' decision to return to communion with the Catholic Church. Both sides tried to resolve this disagreement, unfortunately not only with words but with violence. Martyrs died on both sides, and Josaphat emerged as a voice of Christian peace in this dissent. His early experiences with religious conflict would shape his later ministry and his commitment to unity through peaceful means.

After an apprenticeship to a merchant, Josaphat turned down a partnership in the business and a marriage to enter the monastery of the Holy Trinity at Vilna in 1604. As a teenager, he had found encouragement in his vocation from two Jesuits and a rector who understood his heart. In the monastery, he found another soulmate in Joseph Benjamin Rutsky, who had joined the Byzantine Rite under orders of Pope Clement VIII after converting from Calvinism. Rutsky shared the young Josaphat's passion to work for reunion with Rome, and the two friends spent long hours making plans on how they could bring about that communion and reform monastic life.

The careers of the two friends parted physically when Josaphat was sent to found new houses in Rome and Rutsky was first made abbot at Vilna. Josaphat replaced Rutsky as abbot when Rutsky became metropolitan of Kiev. Josaphat immediately put into practice his early plans of reform. Because his plans tended to reflect his own extremely austere ascetic tendencies, he was not always met with joy. One community threatened to throw him into the river until his general compassion and his convincing words won them over to a few changes.

Josaphat faced even more problems when he became first bishop of Vitebsk and then Polotsk in 1617. The church there was literally and figuratively in ruins, with buildings falling apart, clergy marrying two or three times, and monks and clergy everywhere not really interested in pastoral care or model Christian living. Within three years, Josaphat had rebuilt the church by holding synods, publishing a catechism to be used all over, and enforcing rules of conduct for clergy. But his most compelling argument was his own life, which he spent preaching, instructing others in the faith, and visiting the needy of the towns.

Despite all his work and the respect he had earned, the Orthodox separatists found fertile ground when they set up their own bishops in the exact same area. Meletius Smotritsky was named his rival archbishop of Polotsk. It must have hurt Josaphat to see the people he had served so faithfully break into riots when the King of Poland declared Josaphat the only legitimate archbishop. His former diocese of Vitebsk turned completely against the reunion and him, along with two other cities.

What probably hurt even more was that the very Catholics he looked to for communion opposed him as well. Catholics who should have been his support didn't like the way he insisted on the use of the Byzantine rite instead of the Roman rite. Out of fear or ignorance, Leo Sapiah, chancellor of Lithuania, chose to believe stories that Josaphat was inciting the people to violence and instead of coming to his aid, condemned him. Actually, his only act of force was when the separatists took over the church at Mogilev and he asked the civil power to help him return it to his authority.

In October 1623, Josaphat decided to return to Vitebsk to try to calm the troubles himself. He was completely aware of the danger but said, "If I am counted worthy of martyrdom, then I am not afraid to die." The separatists saw their chance to get rid of Josaphat and discredit him if they could only stir Josaphat's party to strike the first blow. Then they would have an excuse to strike back. Their threats were so public that Josaphat preached on the gospel verse John 16:2, "Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God."

On November 12, 1623, Josaphat was martyred by a mob in Vitebsk. He was hit with a stick, then an axe, and finally shot through the head. His bloody body was dragged to the river and thrown in, along with the body of a dog who had tried to protect him. The unsung heroes of this horrible terrorism were the Jewish people of Vitebsk, who risked their own lives to rescue Josaphat's friends and servants from the bloodthirsty mobs. These same Jewish people were the only ones to publicly accuse the killers and mourn the death of Josaphat while the Catholics of the city hid in fear of their lives.

Liturgical Celebration

The feast of St. Josaphat is celebrated on November 12th, commemorating the day of his martyrdom in 1623. This feast honors his life as an Eastern Rite bishop, his work for church unity, and his ultimate sacrifice for the faith. It is a day to remember his example of peaceful resistance and his commitment to bringing the Eastern and Western churches together.

Historical Context

St. Josaphat lived during a critical period in Church history, when the wounds of the Great Schism of 1054 were still fresh and attempts at reunion were met with both hope and resistance. His ministry took place in the context of the Union of Brest-Litovsk, a significant attempt to heal the division between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. His martyrdom and subsequent canonization in 1867 represent important milestones in the ongoing work of Christian unity.

Devotional Practices

On his feast day, Catholics pray for his intercession, especially for those working for Christian unity, for Eastern Rite Catholics, for those facing religious persecution, for bishops and clergy, and for the grace to respond to conflict with peace and patience. His example inspires us to work for unity while respecting legitimate diversity and to be willing to make sacrifices for the cause of Christ.