The Marian Martyrs of Rosica

84 The Marian Martyrs of Rosica Germans to drive us to Druja because he brought us from there. The Germans gave us a sledge ride to the main road and then took us by car to Druja, where they handed us over to Mother Superior Josepha Zuk, who had to sign a certificate that she received us whole and in good health. I remember that on the way the soldiers offered us breakfast, but we didn’t want to eat. After the pacification was over, Sister Hedwig Wirszuto and another Sister, went from Druja to Rosica where there were stacks of charred bodies in burned-out buildings. Many of those who had been murdered had bullet holes in their skulls. They found a hand with a rosary in it. Several weeks later, the officer who had escorted us from Rosica came back to Druja. He arrived with a secretary. Each Sister who had been in Rosica was summoned and questioned in detail about who had sent her there, when she went, what was she doing and why she left, as well as about other details of those events. There were also questions about the priests. The priests, Anthony Leszczewicz and George Kaszyra, went to Rosica to do missionary work among people who had been deprived of priests for years. They were warned about the intended pacification, but they decided to stay with the faithful (and so did we, the Sisters) even if they were to die with them. They are regarded as martyrs, because they gave their lives vol- untarily for the Faith, carrying out their priestly commitment. This is why they deserve to be raised to the altar. This is the pre- dominant opinion in our Congregation and I agree. I am deeply convinced that God has granted current changes in these territories that have led to religious freedom and the revival of faith, changes granted partly in response to the inter- cession of those priests as an effect of their martyrdom. I trust that the Holy Father will recognize them as martyrs and as Blesseds of the Catholic Church.