Pope Leo XIV Remembers Martyrs of Pratulin
During his General Audience, Pope Leo XIV recalled the martyrdom of Blessed Wincenty Lewoniuk and his 12 companions in Pratulin. These Greek Catholics were killed by soldiers of the Russian Empire in the 19th century af…
During his General Audience, Pope Leo XIV recalled the martyrdom of Blessed Wincenty Lewoniuk and his 12 companions in Pratulin. These Greek Catholics were killed by soldiers of the Russian Empire in the 19th century after steadfastly refusing to abandon their faith. Their enduring commitment illustrates unwavering fidelity to both the Catholic Church and communion with the Successor of Peter.
“Thirty years ago, Saint John Paul II beatified Wincenty Lewoniuk and his 12 Companions, martyrs who defended, to the point of shedding their blood, their belonging to the Catholic Church and their unity with the Successor of Saint Peter, while remaining faithful to their own Eastern tradition,” Pope Leo XIV stated during his greeting to Polish pilgrims.
“I entrust to their intercession the cause of unity among Christ’s disciples and Catholics who are persecuted today for their faith,” the Pope added.
The Greek Catholic Church, also known as the Uniate Church, originated after the Union of Brest in 1596, where members of the Orthodox hierarchy and faithful acknowledged the authority of the Pope while preserving their Eastern rites. In the 19th century, many Uniates, particularly those in eastern Poland under Russian governance, faced pressure to abandon their Church for the Orthodox faith. Those who resisted such coercion often faced dire consequences, including martyrdom and deportation to Siberia.
Wincenty Lewoniuk and his 12 Companions were lay Catholics, primarily farmers from the Podlasie region. On January 24, 1874, they convened to protect their Uniate church in Pratulin. Their peaceful gathering was met with violence when Russian troops opened fire on them as they knelt in the snow, marking their profound commitment to their faith.
The Martyrs of Pratulin stand as a potent symbol of dedication to the Catholic faith and the unity of the Church under the guidance of the Pope, representing a clear call to unity among Catholics today. Venerable Pope Pius XII had already recalled the inhabitants of Pratulin in his Encyclical Orientales omnes Ecclesias, issued to mark the 350th anniversary of the Union of Brest.
Pope Leo XIV echoed sentiments expressed by Saint John Paul II during the Beatification Mass at the Vatican on October 6, 1996, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of the Union of Brest. On that occasion, Pope John Paul II remarked that the testimony of Wincenty Lewoniuk and his companions serves as an invitation to pursue the unity of all Christians in line with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council.
