A man of talent

John's father was a man of great talent: a businessman and a politician.

As a man of talent himself, John at first followed his father into the business world, but at the age of 24, he decided to direct his talents in a different direction: he decided to become a monk.

John’s talent and piety made a tremendous impact. While still a student, he was providing spiritual counsel to leading citizens. Soon after he was ordained a priest, he was put in charge of several monasteries. He became an archbishop before he was 40.

John’s ministry was 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 Byzantine Ruthenian rite of the Roman Catholic Church was canonized in 1876.

(adapted from an earlier post)