15 On the left wall of the St. Joseph Chapel is the bas relief honoring the Marian Martyrs of Rosica. Blessed Anthony Leszczewicz and Blessed George Kaszyra were martyred by fire in February of 1943 by the Nazis in Rosica, Belarus. These priests were given a chance to escape, but instead chose to die with their parishioners. On June 13, 1999, Pope St. John Paul II beatified Bl. Anthony and Bl. George as part of a group of 108 World War II martyrs. The motto of Blessed George Matulaitis, the Renovator of the Marian Fathers, as a bishop is displayed on the left side of this chapel: “Conquer evil with good” (Rom 12:21). His first-class relic is encased in the kneeler for veneration. Read more about Bl. George on pages 14-15. The third saint’s relic encased in the kneeler is St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Read more about her on page 28. The St. Faustina Chapel is located to the right of the high altar. “Pilgrims can venerate a first-class relic of St. Faustina encased in the kneeler in her chapel inside the Shrine (not pictured here). Read more about St.Faustina on pages 10-11. Two other saints’ relics are encased in the kneeler in this chapel. One is Blessed Michael Sopocko — a Polish priest, military chaplain, and the spiritual director of St. Faustina. Blessed Sopocko tirelessly promoted the Divine Mercy message and devotion until his death in 1975. His contributions are depicted in the 2019 docudrama “Love and Mercy: Faustina.” Father Sopocko was beatified on Sept. 28, 2009, in Bialystok, Poland.
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