San Giosafat, Saint of the day for 12 November

Saint of the day for November 12
(C. 1580 - 12 November 1623)

The story of San Giosafat

In 1964, newspaper photos of Pope Paul VI embracing Athenagoras I, the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople, marked a significant step towards healing a division in Christianity that spanned more than nine centuries.

In 1595, the Orthodox bishop of Brest-Litovsk in present-day Belarus and five other bishops representing millions of Ruthenians sought reunification with Rome. John Kunsevich, who in the religious life took the name of Josaphat, would have dedicated his life and would have died for the same cause. Born in present-day Ukraine, he went to work in Wilno and was influenced by the clergy adhering to the Union of Brest in 1596. He became a Basilian monk, then a priest, and soon became famous as a preacher and ascetic.

He became bishop of Vitebsk at a relatively young age and faced a difficult situation. Most of the monks, fearing interference in the liturgy and customs, did not want union with Rome. By synods, catechetical instruction, clergy reform and personal example, however, Josaphat was successful in winSt

ning most of the Orthodox in that area to the union.

But the following year a dissident hierarchy was established, and its opposite number spread the accusation that Josaphat had "become Latin" and that all his people should have done the same. It was not enthusiastically supported by the Latin bishops of Poland.

Despite the warnings, he went to Vitebsk, still a hotbed of trouble. An attempt was made to foment trouble and to expel him from the diocese: a priest was sent to shout insults at him from his courtyard. When Jehoshaphat had him removed and locked up in his home, the opposition rang the town hall bell and a crowd gathered. The priest was released, but members of the crowd broke into the bishop's house. Josaphat was struck with a halberd, then struck and his body was thrown into the river. It was later recovered and is now buried in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was the first saint of the Eastern Church to be canonized by Rome.

Jehoshaphat's death led to a movement towards Catholicism and unity, but the controversy continued and even the dissidents had their martyr. After the partition of Poland, the Russians forced most of the Ruthenians to join the Russian Orthodox Church.

Reflection

The seeds of separation were sown in the fourth century, when the Roman Empire was divided into East and West. The real break occurred due to customs such as the use of unleavened bread, the Sabbath fasting, and celibacy. No doubt the political involvement of religious leaders on both sides was an important factor, and there was doctrinal disagreement. But no reason was enough to justify the current tragic divide in Christianity, which is made up of 64% Roman Catholics, 13% Eastern - mostly Orthodox - churches and 23% Protestants, and this when 71% of the world that is not Christian should be experiencing unity and Christlike charity on the part of Christians!