The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

45 On February 16, 1943, the pacification began. The military began burning buildings. The people were rounded up at gun- point and taken to the church at Rosica. The priests were lis- tening to confessions, giving Communion, baptizing, giving Last Rites, taking Professions of Faith, counseling the dis- tressed, and preparing people for death. At the request of Fr. Leszczewicz, the Sisters were set free and let out of the church. The priests themselves did not want to abandon the people. Younger and stronger persons were transported to the camp near Riga, while children, the weak, and the old were taken in groups to the nearby wooden buildings. There they were locked inside and then burned. Some were shot or killed with grenades. Many perished in flames, burned alive. Together with the faithful, the priests also died. Father Leszczewicz was taken first, on February 17 in the afternoon. He bade farewell to the Sisters. He was joyous. He smiled and said: “Be brave and pray.” Later that evening, Fr. Kaszyra told the Sisters: “Father Leszczewicz is already dead, and tomorrow I will die too.” Father Leszczewicz (like Fr. Kaszyra) fulfilled literally what Jesus Christ said about the Good Shepherd who does not save Himself by fleeing from the enemy leaving the sheep at his mercy, but instead gives His life in their defense. He did not leave the people who were locked up in the church, but rather he made the decision to remain with them till the end. On the second day of the pacification, February 17, 1943, he was taken with a group of people on a sledge at the head of a long caravan. They went along the main road south toward the Dvina. After they passed the lake on the left side of the road and reached the top of the hill, all the sledges turned left and entered the manor complex, which was being guarded by a line of sol- diers with rifles. People were pushed into the large wooden sta- ble, a building about 30 meters long. When the stable was full of people, the door was barricaded. Soon after, grenades were thrown inside, the building was doused with gasoline, and then set afire. Whoever tried to run away was shot. According to later accounts, one night soon after the mur- derous pacification, some men, who had managed to hide Blessed Anthony Leszczewicz