PRATULIN, MARTYRS OF, BB.

Also known as Wincenty Lewoniuk and Companions or the Martyrs of Podlasie, martyrs; d. Jan. 24, 1874, Pratulin, Poland; beatified by John Paul II, Oct. 6, 1996.

The background for the martyrdom was the the Union of Brest (1595–96) that marked the reunion of Polish Orthodox to the Church of Rome. It retained the Byzantine-Ukranian Rite, while permitting their priests to marry. When Poland fell under Russian domination, "Uniate" Catholics were systematically persecuted by the Czarist regime. Bishops and priests who refused conversion to the Orthodox Church were deported to Siberia or detained in Siedlce or Biala Podlasie (now eastern Poland). By 1874, only the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Chelm remained.

When the Russian Kutanin, district prefect of Pratulin village, wanted to nominate an Orthodox priest to replace the pastor of Pratulin, the parishioners objected. Kutanin brought Colonel Stein and his Cossack troops into the town to make the transfer by force. The unarmed parishioners surrounded the church to defend it and refused to disperse despite promises of favors and then threats. Thirteen Byzantine Catholics, led by Wincenty Lewoniuk, were martyred when the soldiers shot them to death for their fidelity to the Catholic Church. Another 180 survived their wounds. The martyrs were buried without ceremony. The decree of martyrdom for the 13 killed was pronounced on June 25, 1996. Those beatified were Andrzejuk, Jan (John), married, b. 1848, Derlo; cantor in the church.

Bojko, Konstanty (Constantine), married, subsistence farmer, b. Sept. 25, 1826, Derlo.

Bojko, Łukasz (Luke), unmarried farmer from the village of Legi; b. 1852, Zaczopki. Łukasz, the son of Dymitra Bojko and Anastazji Wojda, spread the news of the arrival of the Cossacks to encourage others to defend the church in Pratulin and rang the church bells throughout the attack. He was shot in front of the church doors.

Franczuk, Ignacy (Ignatius), married layman, b. 1824, Derło (age 50). Ignacy, son of Daniel and Akacja Franczuk, had seven children by his wife, Helena.

Hawryluk, Maksym (Maximilian), married farmer in Derlo, b. May 22, 1840, Rolnik. Maksym and his wife, Dominika, had three children. He died at home of a wound in his stomach.

Hryciuk, Anicet, unmarried layman, b. 1855, Zaczopki. Anicet, the only son of Józef and Julianna Hryciuk, was shot in the head.

Łukaszuk, Konstanty (Constantine), married farmer, b. c. 1829, Zaczopki. Konstanty, husband of Irene and father of seven children, was pierced with a bayonet in the cemetery.

Karmasz, Daniel, married, layman; b. 1826, Odznaczal. He was the uneducated farmer from Legi who encouraged others to defend the church against the Cossacks and was shot holding the Cross in his hand.

Kiryluk, Filip (Philip), married farmer, b. 1830, Zaczopki. Shot.

Lewoniuk, Wincenty (Vincent), married layman; b. 1849, Krzyczewie. Vincent, husband of Marianna, was persecuted for supporting the Union of Brest. During the defense of Pratulin's church, he was shot to death.

Osypiuk, Bartolomiej (Bartholomew), married farmer; b. 1844, Bohukaly. Son of Wasyla Osypiuk and Marty Kondraciuk; had two children of his own. He guarded the church, was wounded, and died at home praying for the pardon of his attackers.

Wasyluk, Onufry (Humphrey), married layman, village administrator; b. 1853, Zaczopki. Onufry's parents paid 800 rubles to the Russians to keep their son out of the army. He was shot in the head during the defense of the church.

Wawryszuk, Michał, layman, b. 1853, Derlo. Michał had only recently been married in Olszyna before his martyrdom.

At their beatification Pope John Paul II declared: "The martyrs of Pratulin defended not only the parish church in front of which they were killed, but the Church that Christ entrusted to the Apostle Peter, the Church which they felt a part of, like living stones."

Feast: Jan. 24

Bibliography: k. debski, Bohaterstwo unitów podlaskich Warsaw 1993). j. hawryluk, Z dziejów Cerkwi Prawoslawnej na Podlasiu w X-XVII wieku (Bielsk Podlaski 1993). t. krawczak, Zanim wrócila Polska (Warsaw 1994). r. soszynski, 400-lecie Unii Brzeskiej, 1596–1996 (Warsaw 1996). Acta Apostolicae Sedis (1996): 999.

[k. i. rabenstein]