Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych O.S.B.M. |
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Archeparch of Polotsk | |
Church | Ruthenian Catholic Church |
Diocese | Archeparchy of Polotsk |
Appointed | 1618 |
Term ended | November 12, 1623 |
Predecessor | Gedeon Brolnicki |
Successor | Antin Sielava |
Personal details | |
Birth name | Ivan Kunchych |
Born |
c. 1580 Volodymyr, Volhynian Voivodeship, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth |
Died | November 12, 1623 Vitebsk, Vitebsk Voivodeship, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth |
Sainthood | |
Feast day |
November 12 (Latin Church, Romanian Greek Catholic Church, Ruthenian Catholic Church) November 25 (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) |
Title as Saint | Bishop and martyr |
Beatified | May 16, 1643 Rome by Pope Urban VIII |
Canonized | June 29, 1867 Rome by Pope Pius IX |
Patronage | Ukraine |
Ordination history of | |
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Priestly ordination
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Date of ordination | 1609 |
Episcopal consecration
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Date of consecration | November 12, 1617 |
November 12 (Latin Church, Romanian Greek Catholic Church, Ruthenian Catholic Church)
November 14 (Latin Church, extraordinary rite)
Josaphat Kuntsevych, O.S.B.M., (c. 1580 – 12 November 1623) (Belarusian: Язафат Кунцэвіч, Jazafat Kuncevič, Polish: Jozafat Kuncewicz, Lithuanian: Juozapatas Kuncevičius, Ukrainian: Йосафат Кунцевич, Josafat Kuntsevych) was a Polish-Lithuanian monk and archeparch (archbishop) of the Ruthenian Uniate Church, who on 12 November 1623 was killed by angry mob in Vitebsk,Vitebsk Voivodeship, in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (now in Belarus). He is "the best-known victim" of anti-Catholic violence related to implementing the Union of Brest, and is declared a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church.
His death reflects the conflict among Christian Orthodox and Catholics that had intensified after the Ruthenian Orthodox Church (Kiev Metropolitan) joint the Catholic Church through the 1596 Union of Brest and was ongoing ever since Isidore of Kiev has signed the Florentine Union.