The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-04
CATHOLIC PRIEST is MARTYR AT
HANDS OF REDS IN RUSSIA.

This occurrence is probably just one
of the many manifestations Of supreme
heroism characteristic of our days,
writes. Baron Knorring.
Attention is focused upon the great
battlefields. where spectacular deeds
of heroism evoked daily the admira-
ton of the world, and deeds like the
one Of which l just received informal
ton pass rather unnoticed.
1t came to pass in one Of the obscure
corners of Petrograd.
After usurpation of power in Russia
by the Bolshevists they directed their
destructive activities against the
Church, chiefly against the former
State Church, but as we'll against
Christianity generally.
In one Of the outlying streets of
Petrograd, in a district inhabited main
ly by wage-earners, is the Catholic
Church of ST. Stanislaus The congre-
cation is Polish, with a little sprink-
ling of Lithuanians. The church had
no endowments. 1t developed from
a missionary chapel, and every partic
ular Of it, beginning with the rather
large stone structure of the edifice up
to the last candlestick, had been con-
tributed by the congregation, eyclu-
sively Wage-earners, to whom each
contribution must have been a sacri-
fee to their faith. z.
The priest, Pole, had been rector
of that church for nearly twenty-eight
years I had the privilege OF knowing.
him personally. .H
An order of the Government to turn
over to it all properties of his church
came in due time. He complied with
it as far as money was concerned, hav-
ing declared at the same time that no
other properties or valuables were in
possession of his church.
The Government did not believe him
and ordered commission of inquiry
to make an inspection of the church
A Government officer" appeared at
the head of small detachment Of Red
Guards.
The priest showed to the commits
sion" the church and soon convinced
it that nothing of much value could be
got from a church which had been
erected and supported out of contri-
buttons of a laboring population.
Attracted by the sanctuary light the
commission required to see the taber-
nacle on the high altar and inspect
the ciborium.
The priest declined to comply and
declared he would not hand over for
inspection the ciborium, which con-
tanned the sacramental Bread. He tes-
tilted on oath that the ciborium, a
contribution of the parish, was a plain
silver vessel of not high money value
After some hesitation the commits
sion appeared satisfied and went to
the adjoining sacristy to execute the
document showing that inspection of
the church had been duly made and
to issue to the priest the certificate
| which was to show that he had COM
piled with the order of the admins
| tration.
This finished, the officer in charge,
after a short consultation with his men,
suddenly required the priest to hand
| over to them the chalice and the cibo-
rum. Though not of sufficient value
| for cOnfiscation for the Government
| they could find use for silver vessels.
| The priest refused.
The gang which represented the
Government made rush for the altar.
But the old priest was quick. With
a few bounds he reached the altar,
and posting himself in front of the
| tabernacle threw down from the altar
| steps those of the gang who were at
the point of reaching out for the taber-
nacle.
A shot rang through the church
| The priest fell across the altar steps.
Over his dead body the men who rep
resented the Russian Government
| robbed the church of the ciborium. 5,