New Britain herald., 1926-01-21
DEFIED ROLSHEWSM
 CAST INTO PRISON
Archbishop Cieplak Proves Him.
 self Militant ChurChman

tcrs In current history.
 Archbishop Cieplak defed tho so- ! Ntct government and urged his priests 10 disobey ukaso after ukase. Tho result was his arrest and trial on charges of treason. His sentence to death brought protest from the entire civilized world and he was H. nally freed.
 His visit 10 New Britain will con- Clude q several months tour to tho United States after which he will re- turn 10 Rome.
 Archbishop Cioplak was born in SG0 at Dabrowo, Poland, and re- Cciyod his early education in the schools of his native city. His theo- logical trainin1 he received in the colleges of Poland.
 Volunteered For Missions.
 After his ordination he volun- t"cred for missionary work in Rus. Fia, under the czarist regime. His devotion and zeal brought him re- Cognition in the catholic hierarchy land he was soon marked for ad- NanCcmcnt in the church.
 With the passing of Rt. Rev. Ed ward Eopp as tho Bishop of Mctro- kolo. he was made archbishop and placed at the head of the catholic church in Russia. Ho entered upon his duties at time that was far from ideal. At that time the pow fer of the Romanoffs had begun to Wano and subsequently, was over thrown the czar being forced 10 ab- dicatc the throne of the empire of All Russia and together with his family, ho was thrown into prison, ! compelled 10 undergo hardship and eventually was executed by the as ctndent Communist party.
 Church Properties Demanded.
 On February 19, 1922, the Soviet government declared that all pro- Iporty of the Catcholc church in Russia was 10 revert 10 the new government. Not only were the lands and buildings demanded but unconditional surrender was order cd of all bells, altar ornaments Sacramcntal vessels, paintings. pic lures and other effects of value, Simultaneously brigand bands were organized and began a plum. der of all houses of religion Churches at Minsk, Jarolaw, Hao- mal, Nitobsk, Krzcmicniec, Yampol. i Kitajgrod, Niczyn. Smolensli anG | Mohylovo wc. plundered, sacra mental vessels profaned, churches stripped of everything of value even the graves in cemeteries were opened and the dead stripped of all trinkets and effects of value.
 PreIatc Asks Protection.
 Archbishop Cieplak demanded the protection guaranteed ecclesiastical mbpetties, but without surcess 1 Finally with his back, to Inc wall. ne openly condemned the govern mcnt for not preventing these act ions and ordered the clergy 10 re- SiSt.
 Not only did the oppressive treatments diminish, but they were followed by new orders, issued Feb ruary g, 1922, that all church pro- porty must be given over to the government at once. and all clergy men were commanded to take in- v"ntory of all their possessions and submit them to inc government. The archbishop addressed q cnmmunlca- lion to tho Govornmcnt ponting ont 2 11s,A hA agreements made with the church This notn failed to bring results ant he then issurd advice 10 his clergy men as to future policies in dcal- 1 hAs with the government.
 On February 23, 1922, the Sovicts began a systematic seizure Of all church properties. With this procc iuro in effect, the nrchbishOps re- coiyc1 hundreds of tclcgrams and lcitcrs begging for further instruc- tions as 10 how the demands of the government might he cor hattcd.
 soviet Govt. Deficd.
 The culmnation point was reach cd when inc archbishop answered t . telegram Of Rev. J. RutkOwsN of IIroslaw, Russia, with a note: Demands a"e unjust. Please rcfns' the request of the Sovicts for de- tailed inventory list"
 Because of tho continued resist anrc sponsored hy Archbishop Cic- 1 rlak in matters of church property 1 seizure, the Soviet authorities order cd his arrest and incarceration at Moscow prison. G1liin and krilcn- ko. dictators Of tho highest Soviet tribunal, accused him of spreading anti-rcvolutionary propaganda and he was hy their order jailed. Hc TO- maincd in prison l5 months. On March q. 1923, with 15 other pre- n'cs nc was again brought before the tribunal.
 CondCmncd to Die.
 After q trial lasting four days, he and Rev. K. Budliicwic2. who has since been executed, were sentenced 10 dio. The verdict was acclaimed with enthusiasm by group of stu dcnts and atheists who were th" chief spectators. Anti-Soviet follow CTS of the Trocccdings termed the trial "thc murder inqnisition."
 When the s'ntcncc of oath waS pronounced upon hin, Ne arch hishop arose and said:--
 .hdhCrrs to Policies.
 "T who stand on the threshold Of | death. can only certify with my l word Of honor as a clergyman that 1 we have never attempted to organ ize my secret society. nor have we cvcr attempted to reach any politi' cal goal. Even q thought of count. | cr-rcvoluiion has never entered our minds. We have always been loya citizcr f thr Russian Soviet Fed 1 "ratcd Socialist Republic and have complied with tho dccreos Of tho government insofar as they were within he bounds Of reason. We rn- ioiccd at inc proclamation of the cpochal deere guaranteeing the l Frardnu, AT CpnScipnca bcrnucn firm,