St. Josaphat

Patron Saint of Ukraine

St. Josaphat was born around 1580 in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in what is now northwest Ukraine. He entered the Basilian Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Vilno after the Ruthenians (the ethnic origins of his family) came back to full communion with Rome. Throughout most of his life, he faced constant controversy about if and how the Eastern Church could be reconciled to the Western Church. He worked tirelessly on reunification efforts, many of which continued in his spirit after his death, and revitalizing the priesthood in Eastern Europe. He was martyred in 1623 and is looked to as a patron for ecumenical efforts today.

Catholic Apostolate Center Blog Posts on St. Josaphat

• St. Josaphat: Model of Charitable Evangelization and Promoter of Christian Unity

• The Gift of Unity

• The Feast of St. Josaphat

Pilgrimage Site in the United States

• The Basilica of Saint Josaphat — Milwaukee, WI