Making an impact

John came from an old established family and his father was both a businessman and a politician.

As a young man, John followed his father into the business world, but at the age of 24, he came to a moment of decision. His family was very pious, but the Church in that part of the world was somewhat decrepit at that time. Nonetheless, John decided to become a monk.

The results of that decision were amazing, as John’s piety and substantial talent made a tremendous impact. While still a student, he was providing spiritual counsel to leading citizens. Within five years, he was ordained a priest and very soon was put in charge of several monasteries. Eight years after that, he became a bishop and then an archbishop the very next year (before he was 40).

John’s ministry continued to be very successful: promoting reform, spiritual renewal, and Church unity. His work for unity, however, had many enemies.

On the sixth anniversary of his becoming a bishop, a mob broke into his house. John Josaphat Kuncevyc was beaten, axed, beaten, and thrown into the river on this very day in 1623. His body was found 5 years later – miraculously incorrupt. St. Josaphat, Archbishop of Polotsk (Lithuania) in the Bysantine Ruthenian rite of the Roman Catholic Church was canonized in 1876.