Bl. Jerzy Popiełuszko

Patron Saint of Solidarity

Bl. Jerzy Popiełuszko was born in 1947 in Poland and became a priest in 1972; he began his ministry just outside of Warsaw. In 1981, he was moved and began serving at a parish within Warsaw. Many of his parishioners were workers who were protesting their working conditions. Bl. Jerzy joined in their protests and his preaching helped rally those who were being suppressed by the communist government throughout Poland. He was killed by three secret police in 1984 because of his activism for his parishioners. His death sparked uproar throughout Poland and his martyrdom is commemorated with many memorials throughout the country today.