2023 is the year of Saint Joseph

The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania declared 2023 as the year of St. Joseph – 400 years have passed since the martyr’s death of Joseph. How important is St. Joseph of the Eastern (Greek) rite Catholics for Lithuania, why do we juxtapose him with the only saint king of Lithuania Kazimierz?

Juozapatas (Ivan Gavrilovich Kuncevičius) (1580–1623 11 12) is the only Ukrainian, Eastern (Greek) rite Catholic (or Unitarian), Pope Urban VIII in 1643. was declared blessed, and by Pope Pius IX in 1867. – a saint; one of St. Basil the Great (1617), founder of the Order of Saint Basil, matured to sainthood in Ukraine, Lithuania (he lived here in 1596-1617) and Belarus. in 1963 his remains were reburied in the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, right nave, St. Basil the Great Altar.

Saint Joseph and Lithuania

Originally from Volodymyr Volodymyr, a deeply religious sixteen-year-old Ivan came to Vilnius to learn the trade of a merchant. It must be assumed that he was greatly moved by 1604. May 10-12 The events held in Vilnius, solemnly accepting Pope Clement VIII’s breve, by which Lithuania and Poland were allowed to celebrate St. Casimir – the feast of King Casimir (1458-1484). Plays and stories about St. Kazimierz, his life and works were accelerated by the decision of Ivan Kuncevičius to enter the monastery, to follow the example of the Lithuanian saint. in 1604 he entered Vilnius St. Trinity Monastery, which belonged to the Orthodox at that time, choosing the monastic name of Jozapat.

1604-1609 Joosapat studied intensively, prepared those who were about to enter the monastery, in 1609. ordained as priests. In the same year, King Zygmantas III Vaza by royal edict in Vilnius St. The Trinity Church and the monastery were handed over to Catholics of Greek (Eastern) rites (Unites). The brick church in 1514 built by Duke Konstantinas Ostrogiškis as thanks to God for the victory over the Moscow army in 1514. in the battle near Orsha, 2014 this, one of the oldest churches in Lithuania, celebrated its 500th anniversary. Jozapatas in 1614 was elected archimandrite (senior) of the Vilnius Basilian Monastery.

St. Establishment of the Order of Basil the Great

In 1617, Juozapatas and Veljaminas Rutskis convened a chapter (meeting of elders) of the Basilian monasteries in Rūta’s estate (near Naugarduk). Those who accepted the rule (rules of monastic life) drawn up by Veljamins Rutski, corresponding to the era, united in St. Order of Basil the Great – St. The Trinity Congregation – with its center in Vilnius, which became St. Cradle of the Order of Basil the Great. At the beginning, it consisted of five bazillion monasteries (Vilnius, Bitėnai, Žyroviči, Minsk and Naugarduk), but soon others joined them. This is the only order founded in Lithuania (the surnames of Basilian monks are accompanied by the abbreviation OSBM (the first letters of the Latin name Ordo Sancti Basilii Magni).

Believers who belong to Eastern (Greek) rite Catholics are also called Unitarians – they are named so after the church union of Brasta (1596), when a part of the Orthodox recognized unity with the Pope. The Orthodox swore allegiance to the Pope and asked to be able to continue praying in the Eastern rite. Therefore, all those who agreed with the resolutions adopted by the Church Union of Brasta were called Unitarians or Catholics of the Eastern (Greek) rite.

However, the resolutions of the Brasta Church Union were widely implemented only after the establishment of St. Order of Basil the Great.
Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans and other Catholic orders and congregations came to Lithuania from various countries to instill spirituality, raise science, culture and education. Founded in Lithuania, St. The Order of Basil the Great quickly became known for its wide-ranging activities, its members were invited to various areas of the LDK.

here we are, landowner brothers Jonas and Antanas Beinoris in 1749. invited the Basilians of Vilnius to Padubysis (Šiauliai district), allocated them land, gave them funds. The monks built a church, a monastery, opened a school, founded a library – as the area grew, the local residents began to call it after the monks – Bazilioni. And now near Šiauliai there is the town of Bazilioni, in which St. The church named after Basil the Great. This is the only place in the world that has immortalized the name of Basilion monks and the only church with that name in Lithuania.

Spreading the word about St. Joseph and the Basilian monks

Since 2001 On the initiative of the Association of Lithuanian and Ukrainian Historians (President Dr. Aldona Vasiliauskienė), international scientific conferences dedicated to this order have been organized. Ten conferences were held in Lithuania, five in Ukraine. in 2017 The scientific material of the tenth conference “St. Order of Basil the Great: from the people to the people”.

At the conferences, scientists from Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Rome, France spoke about the work done by the order, its importance for Lithuania, about one of the founders of the order, Saint Joseph, his spirituality, his ability to speak to the human soul, ignite him with love and faith in God, his attention and care the poor, the memorable sermons of Josaphat, his own example of faith. Joseph lived for God and taught people to follow God, and his mother taught him love for God, the church and people. St. Joseph can be considered the implementer of the ideas of ecumenism in the conditions of that time.

The way to the honor of the Altar

in 1617 Jozapat was elected bishop of Polotsk. His motto: “LET ALL BE ONE!” (Jn. 17, 21). in 1623 November 12 during the visitation in Vitebsk, Joosapat was brutally killed by the enemies who fought against the unity of the Church: scoundrels mocked his body and threw it into the Dvina river. After this brutal crackdown, Pope Urban VIII appealed to King Zygiman III to severely punish the culprits. A special commission of inquiry was formed, headed by Chancellor Leon Sapiega. When the investigative commission arrived in Vitebsk, a large part of the rebels fled the city. 19 persons were brought to court and sentenced to death.

Another 71 escaped, sentenced in absentia. The property of all the culprits has been confiscated. The city of Vitebsk was deprived of the rights of Magdeburg (returned only in 1641), bells were removed from the town hall and churches: they called to deal with the bishop. Meletius Smotrickis, as an instigator accused of the death of Joosapat, fled to Žečpospolita, and in 1624 at the beginning – through Constantinople to the Middle East.

in 1626 after returning to Kiev, he confessed his guilt to Metropolitan Veljamins Rutskyi, professed the Catholic faith and became an active supporter of the union from a strict Orthodox. Pope Urban VIII ordered him to describe Joseph’s death. A commission was established to investigate the circumstances of Juozapat’s death, an accelerated canonization process was started – a beatification case was opened.

During the beatification case, the monks who worked with him testified during the investigation of the life, activity and sanctity of Joseph: in 1612 Antonius (Anastazijus Seliava) (1583-1655), who lived in the same cell with Joosapat for one year, was the future Proto-Archimandrite and Metropolitan of Kyiv (1641-1655). He collected material for the beatification case.

The miracles that took place through Josaphat’s intercession were quickly announced (the blind regained their sight, the paralyzed, those with heart disease were healed), his body was found in the water without decomposition. All this was verified by the oaths of the Church and those who were healed or witnesses. Almost 150 witnesses confirmed his holiness after his death. Saint Josaphat’s confessor Genadijus Khmelnicki in 1628. recalled: “They come to his coffin asking for intercession and experience great grace and miracles through him.” A person is declared blessed by the Pope in a solemn act. The act affirms that the blessed person was distinguished by exceptional virtues and is an example of Christian life.

in 1643 May 16 Pope Urban VIII signed the beatification decree on the beatification of Joseph. The solemn celebration took place in Vilnius, in the presence of the Polish king Vladislaus Vaz (1595-1648) and Queen Cecilia Renata Habsburgaite (1611-1644).

After 224 years, in 1867 On June 29, Pope Pius IX declared Josephus a saint and patron of Poland and Russia.

in 1923 Pope Pius XI dedicated the encyclical “Ecclesiam Dei” (Church of God) to Saint Joseph. In it, the Pope emphasized Josaphat’s example of special sanctity, purity of life and poverty. Pope John Paul II named Joosapat Kuncevičius the “Apostle of Unity”.

Saint Joseph is the patron saint of Ukraine, the Basilian (St. Basil the Great) order is named after him: St. Order of the Basilians of Josaphat.

November 12th is celebrated every year as the day of the birth of Saint Josaphat. And in the jubilee year 2023, the 12th day of each month has been declared by the Church as the Little Indulgence of St. Joseph.

Dr. Aldona VASILIAUSKIENĖ