White Raven Publishing House: "Murdered by Those He Forbade Hate"
date: October 20, 2025 Editor: Anna
On 19 October 1984, Fr Jerzy Popiełuszko was invited to Bydgoszcz, to the parish of the Holy Polish Martyrs Brothers, for a prayer gathering in the Ministry of Labour. The date was set during the September pilgrimage of workers to Jasna Góra. On the eve of his departure to Bydgoszcz, Fr Jerzy was to say, “I don’t think anything will happen, and if it happens, it’s God’s will.” Later in the evening, 1 of his fellow priests joined the sacrament of reconciliation for the last time.
W Bydgoszcz was besides oppressors and torturers of Fr Jerzy. Piotrowski watched the course of events in the church, 2 another assassins – Chmielewski and Pękala – chatted in a secluded place on the settlement of the Upland, close the temple.
The church was surrounded by militia and filled with esbecami in civilians. All the faithful attending the service wanted to contact Fr George, have a fewer words with him, greet him, hug him. The priest, however, was increasingly dwindling, even refusing to have dinner with the priests. He only ate a small bread with curd on his own. Despite the insistence of the hosts to stay with them, he decided to return to Warsaw that same evening.
After 9:00 p.m., he set off.
...
When Fr Jerzy and his driver Waldemar Chrostowski moved distant with a volkswagen around 9:30 p.m. towards Warsaw, the chatters of the esbecs went after them. The crack was sitting behind the wheel of a light beige Fiat 125p. They had different options for action. After any time Chmielewski dressed up as a traffic policeman, and Piotrowski, who was driving the car, flashed with lights to make the green volkswagen golf with Fr Jerzy stop. ...
In the second round, the obituaries of the following content signed by “Solidarity” appeared: “P.P. Fr Jerzy Popieluszko. Murdered by those he forbids to hate. He taught, for love and respect, the welfare of another man to build the future of Free Poland. The words of the Gospel that he preached confirm his religion in an independent resurrection.
...and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our trespassers...
Deeply convinced of the in vain death of Fr. George in the seriousness and with a focus on the solidarity of our hearts we will escort GO from St. Kostka Church at 11 a.m. on 3.XI.1984." ...
When the coffin was put in the grave, the autumn sun lit up. Parents – Marianna and Władysław stood over an open grave in the glow of this radiant golden light. The mother, silently weeping, rubbed her hands with tears dripping down her cheeks. erstwhile the coffin with the body of Fr. George rested in the grave pit, a painful female fell on her knees. How she resembled the Painful parent kneeling at the feet of the crucified Son... Then my father fell on his knees. The crowd of mourners has inspired “God, something Poland” with the chorus “The Fatherland free to return to us, Lord”.
The above passages and photographs of the life of Fr Jerzy Popiełuszko, whom we are mentioning present as a blessed Catholic Church, come from his biography by Jolanta Sosnowska, ed.
Photos for the article :
Photos for the article :
