Jerzy Popiełuszko
Polish Roman Catholic priest and martyr (1947–1984)
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Key Takeaways
- Jerzy Aleksander Popiełuszko ( Polish pronunciation: [ˈjɛʐɨ a.
- He was murdered in 1984 by three agents of the Security Service, who were shortly thereafter tried and convicted of the murder.
- An alleged miracle attributed to his intercession, which could lead to his canonization, is now under investigation.
- After finishing school, he attended the priests' seminary at Warsaw.
- This treatment had no effect on Alfons's beliefs, as, after finishing his army service, he continued his studies; however, the repeated punishments for his resistance affected his health for the rest of his life.
Jerzy Aleksander Popiełuszko (Polish pronunciation: [ˈjɛʐɨ a.lɛkˈsan.dɛr popʲɛˈwuʂkɔ] born Alfons Popiełuszko; 14 September 1947 – 19 October 1984) was a Polish Roman Catholic priest who became associated with the opposition Solidarity trade union in communist Poland. He was murdered in 1984 by three agents of the Security Service, who were shortly thereafter tried and convicted of the murder.
Father Jerzy has been recognized as a martyr by the Roman Catholic Church and was beatified on 6 June 2010 by Cardinal Angelo Amato on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI. An alleged miracle attributed to his intercession, which could lead to his canonization, is now under investigation.
Biography
Early life and priesthood
Alfons was born on 14 September 1947 in Okopy, near Suchowola. After finishing school, he attended the priests' seminary at Warsaw. In 1966–1968, he served his army duties in a special force in Bartoszyce, aimed at keeping young men from becoming priests. This treatment had no effect on Alfons's beliefs, as, after finishing his army service, he continued his studies; however, the repeated punishments for his resistance affected his health for the rest of his life. Alfons, with seminary superiors' permission, changed his name from Alfons to Jerzy because the word "alfons" was used to describe a person (especially a man) who deals with prostitution, giving it a negative connotation in Warsaw.
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