The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

105 Eyewitness Accounts We drove about four kilometers, and we entered a clearing where we could see buildings and lights in house windows where the people were awaiting the priest. In the moonlight, I could see the master of the house come out and shout: “Who is there?” My cart driver shouted back: “I am bringing you the priest!” Then the host took the hat off his head, and his bald pate shown white in the moonlight. He waved his hat and shouted: “We gentry have been awaiting the priest for so many years.” I greeted them with the old expression: “Praise be to Jesus Christ!” It was very frosty out, so we came into the spacious, clean house. So as not to make it too long, we made a quick circuit of all the houses, of which there were about 12, and then we came back. The children spoke fluent Polish. I asked: “How is it that you are not afraid to learn Polish?” Speaking Polish was punishable by five years of deportation! “We were afraid, but we took the risk, hoping no one would betray us!” They introduced a six- or seven-year-old girl to me, alleged- ly from Leningrad and not yet baptized, and they asked me to baptize her. I questioned her about prayers and her catechism. She knew everything very well. This was due to the wife of the house who knew how to transmit faith to a stranger’s child. I was happy to baptize this child. Unfortunately, later I was told that it was a little Jewish girl; somebody had betrayed her and her mother. The mother had been shot and killed by the Germans. During that time, I visited Druja and Slobodka where I was given the Stations of the Cross. The images were in bad shape, but sufficient for our use. Lenten lamentations were softening the hearts of the faithful. Holy Week! There was the sepulcher and adoration, and then a joyous resurrection. Everything was calm here. No information reached us. Spring was coming. We cleaned up the cemetery and the garden. We installed window panes in the church since many of