The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

136 The Marian Martyrs of Rosica expedition. Reportedly, they were already assembling local troops in Latvia for pacification of the area where our Fathers were working. Finally, those rumors became fact. SS troops arrived and occupied a floor in the monastery. They trained for a few days before moving against Rosica and the surrounding neighborhood. Father Superior summoned me again. WARNING THE PRIESTS “We must save the Fathers, warn them, Br. Henry. Father Leszczewicz will be in Dryssa on Sunday, and you must go there. Warn him that the punitive expedition has already set out. They should come back. You will go with Mr. Modest Gramz, father of Fr. Boleslaus, the pastor from Idolta. The Dvina is already off limits, but he will make some arrangements,” explained Father Superior. So off we went. That evening we arrived at some friends of Modest's, and we spent the night there. On Sunday morning, we continued on to Dryssa. There were roadblocks along the Dvina, and we were asked for our documents. I reached into my pocket, but Mr. Modest had already explained things to the Germans, showing them some kind of police passes, and we were able to continue. We arrived at the church. Then after Holy Mass, I met the police chief from Dryssa and our Mr. Joseph from Rosica. They came to me with their concerns. “Brother, you must do all you can to make sure Father Leszczewicz doesn’t go back to Rosica for a few days, because he won't listen to us. All he does is joke and laugh, but he must not go back there. The punitive expedition is already active.” “All right, I will tell Father,” I replied. I had to explain it to Fr. Leszczewicz at length. He listened and smiled. He was a bit nervous, but he couldn’t be convinced. “I have to go back. There are people there,” he explained. “Moreover, I left the Blessed Sacrament in the church. I cannot allow it to be desecrated. There is also Fr. George. How could I abandon my subordinate in such a moment?”