Roman Catholic
St Sigismund parish
05-507 Słomczyn
85 Wiślana Str.
Konstancin deanery
Warsaw archdiocese, Poland
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Martyrology of the clergy — Poland
XX century (1914 – 1989)
personal data
religious status
Servant of God
surname
WITKIEWICZ
surname
versions/aliases
VITKEVIČIUS
forename(s)
Francis (pl. Franciszek)
forename(s)
versions/aliases
Pranciškus
function
diocesan priest
creed
Latin (Roman Catholic) Church RCmore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.09.21]
diocese / province
Kaunas archdiocesemore on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2014.11.14]
nationality
Lithuanian
date and place
of death
25.06.1941
Skaruliaitoday: Jonava eld., Jonava dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
lt.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29]
alt. dates and places
of death
22‑24.06.1941
details of death
After German and Russian invasion of Poland in 09.1939 and start of the World War II, after German attack on 22.06.1941 of their erstwhile ally, Russians, during panic escape of Russians from advancing Germans somebody fired from the Skaruliai church bell tower.
The fleeing Russians surrounded the church where the Holy Mass was celebrated.
The assembled congregation was led out of the temple and drove outside the village, and there ordered to get into a roadside ditch and lie down in it. The rifles were primed.
During the negotiations however, they were released — in exchange for three priests residing in the parish, the local parish priest, Fr Francis Witkiewicz and two guests who participated in the ceremony of confirmation on Sunday, 22.06.1941: Fr Boleslav Vegele and the newly ordained Fr Sigismund Stankiewicz.
All three were murdered in that ditch.
cause of death
mass murder
perpetrators
Russians
sites and events
06.1941 massacres (NKVD)Click to display the description, Ribbentrop‐MolotovClick to display the description, Pius XI's encyclicalsClick to display the description
date and place
of birth
09.10.1877
Kleipščiaitoday: Nausodis eld., Plungė dist., Telšiai Cou., Lithuania
more on
lt.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.07.31]
presbyter (holy orders)
ordination
16.12.1901 (Kaunas cathedralmore on
www.catholic-hierarchy.org
[access: 2021.12.19])
positions held
1934 – 1941
parish priest — Skaruliaitoday: Jonava eld., Jonava dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
lt.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] ⋄ St Anne RC parish ⋄ Jonavatoday: Jonava urban eld., Jonava dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.06] RC deanery
1927 – 1934
curatus/rector/expositus — Šventybrastistoday: Vilainiai eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09] ⋄ Transfiguration of the Lord RC church ⋄ Apytalaukistoday: Vilainiai eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30], St Peter and St Paul the Apostles RC parish ⋄ Kėdainiaitoday: Kėdainiai eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27] RC deanery
c. 1927
curatus/rector/expositus — Palonaitoday: Baisogala eld., Radviliškis dist., Šiauliai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ Divine Providence RC church ⋄ Baisogalatoday: Baisogala eld., Radviliškis dist., Šiauliai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30], Holy Trinity RC parish
1926 – 1927
parish priest — Butkiškėtoday: Ariogala eld., Raseiniai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
lt.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St John the Baptist RC parish
1924 – 1926
curatus/rector/expositus — Vegeriaitoday: Naujoji Akmenė eld., Akmenė dist., Šiauliai Cou., Lithuania
more on
lt.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St George the Martyr RC church
1924
curatus/rector/expositus — Surviliškistoday: Surviliškis eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.06] ⋄ The Crucified Christ RC church
1923 – 1924
curatus/rector/expositus — Šventybrastistoday: Vilainiai eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09] ⋄ Transfiguration of the Lord RC church ⋄ Apytalaukistoday: Vilainiai eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30], St Peter and St Paul the Apostles RC parish ⋄ Kėdainiaitoday: Kėdainiai eld., Kėdainiai dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2020.11.27] RC deanery
1923
altarist — Akmenėtoday: Akmenė eld., Akmenė dist., Šiauliai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] ⋄ St Anne RC parish ⋄ Akmenėtoday: Akmenė eld., Akmenė dist., Šiauliai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] RC deanery
1921 – 1923
curatus/rector/expositus — Alizavatoday: Alizava eld., Kupiškis dist., Panevėžys Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St John the Baptist RC church ⋄ Kupiškistoday: Kupiškis eld., Kupiškis dist., Panevėžys Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09], Ascension of the Lord RC parish
1920 – 1921
vicar — Panemunėlistoday: Panemunėlis eld., Rokiškis dist., Panevėžys Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St Joseph the Guardian of the Holy Family RC parish
1919 – 1920
altarist — Gadūnavastoday: Gadūnavas eld., Telšiai dist., Telšiai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ Sacred Heart of Jesus RC parish
1914 – 1919
curatus/rector/expositus — Geležiaitoday: Karsakiškis eld., Panevėžys dist., Panevėžys Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St Joseph RC church
1913 – 1914
curatus/rector/expositus — Pavandenėtoday: Varniai eld., Telšiai dist., Telšiai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St Anne RC church ⋄ Varniaitoday: Varniai eld., Telšiai dist., Telšiai Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.02.15], St Peter and St Paul the Apostles RC parish
1912 – 1913
vicar — Kupiškistoday: Kupiškis eld., Kupiškis dist., Panevėžys Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09] ⋄ Ascension of the Lord RC parish ⋄ Kupiškistoday: Kupiškis eld., Kupiškis dist., Panevėžys Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.01.09] RC deanery
1906 – 1912
vicar — Balninkaitoday: Balninkai eld., Molėtai dist., Utena Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.30] ⋄ St Stanislav the Bishop and Martyr RC parish
1904 – 1906
vicar — Troškūnaitoday: Troškūnai eld., Anykščiai dist., Utena Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] ⋄ Holy Trinity RC parish ⋄ Anykščiaitoday: Anykščiai eld., Anykščiai dist., Utena Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] RC deanery
1902 – 1904
vicar — Alswagentoday: Alsunga, Alsunga pog., Kuldiga mun., Latvia
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] ⋄ St Michael the Archangel RC parish
1896 – 1901
student — Kaunastoday: Kaunas city dist., Kaunas Cou., Lithuania
more on
en.wikipedia.org
[access: 2022.06.29] ⋄ philosophy and theology, Theological Seminary
others related
in death
MAZURKIEWICZClick to display biography Vincent, STANKIEWICZClick to display biography Sigismund, TUTINASClick to display biography John, VĖGĖLĖClick to display biography Boleslav Balys, BALČIUSClick to display biography Valentine, BALSYSClick to display biography Vaclav, BALTRIMASClick to display biography Stanislav Edward, DABRILAClick to display biography Justin, DAMBRAUSKASClick to display biography Vaclav, DAUGĖLAClick to display biography John, JUKNEVIČIUSClick to display biography Andrew, LAJAUSKASClick to display biography Matthew, NAVICKASClick to display biography John, PAULAVIČIUSClick to display biography Constantine, PETRIKAClick to display biography John, RACEVIČIUSClick to display biography Paul, STULGINSKISClick to display biography Vaclav, ŠVEIKAUSKASClick to display biography Benedykt, VANAGASClick to display biography Benedykt
sites and events
descriptions
06.1941 massacres (NKVD): After German attack of Russian‐occupied Polish territory and following that of Russia itself, before a panic escape, Russians murdered — in accordance with the genocidal order issued on 24.06.1941 by the Russian interior minister Lawrence Beria to murder all prisoners (formally „sentenced” for „counter‐revolutionary activities”, „anti‐Russian acts”, sabotage and diversion, and political prisoners „in custody”), held in NKVD‐run prisons in Russian occupied Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — c. 40,000‐50,000 prisoners. In addition Russians murdered many thousands of victims arrested after German attack regarding them as „enemies of people” — those victims were not even entered into prisons’ registers. Most of them were murdered in massacres in the prisons themselves, the others during so‐called „death marches” when the prisoners were driven out east. After Russians departure and start of German occupation a number of spontaneous pogroms of Jews took place. Many Jews collaborated with Russians and were regarded as co‐responsible for prison massacres. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2021.12.19])
Ribbentrop‐Molotov: Genocidal Russian‐German alliance pact between Russian leader Joseph Stalin and German leader Adolf Hitler signed on 23.08.1939 in Moscow by respective foreign ministers, Mr. Vyacheslav Molotov for Russia and Joachim von Ribbentrop for Germany. The pact sanctioned and was the direct cause of joint Russian and German invasion of Poland and the outbreak of the World War II in 09.1939. In a political sense, the pact was an attempt to restore the status quo ante before 1914, with one exception, namely the „commercial” exchange of the so‐called „Kingdom of Poland”, which in 1914 was part of the Russian Empire, fore Eastern Galicia (today's western Ukraine), in 1914 belonging to the Austro‐Hungarian Empire. Galicia, including Lviv, was to be taken over by the Russians, the „Kingdom of Poland” — under the name of the General Governorate — Germany. The resultant „war was one of the greatest calamities and dramas of humanity in history, for two atheistic and anti‐Christian ideologies — national and international socialism — rejected God and His fifth Decalogue commandment: Thou shall not kill!” (Abp Stanislav Gądecki, 01.09.2019). The decisions taken — backed up by the betrayal of the formal allies of Poland, France and Germany, which on 12.09.1939, at a joint conference in Abbeville, decided not to provide aid to attacked Poland and not to take military action against Germany (a clear breach of treaty obligations with Poland) — were on 28.09.1939 slightly altered and made more precise when a treaty on „German‐Russian boundaries and friendship” was agreed by the same murderous signatories. One of its findings was establishment of spheres of influence in Central and Eastern Europe and in consequence IV partition of Poland. In one of its secret annexes agreed, that: „the Signatories will not tolerate on its respective territories any Polish propaganda that affects the territory of the other Side. On their respective territories they will suppress all such propaganda and inform each other of the measures taken to accomplish it”. The agreements resulted in a series of meeting between two genocidal organization representing both sides — German Gestapo and Russian NKVD when coordination of efforts to exterminate Polish intelligentsia and Polish leading classes (in Germany called «Intelligenzaktion», in Russia took the form of Katyń massacres) where discussed. Resulted in deaths of hundreds of thousands of Polish intelligentsia, including thousands of priests presented here, and tens of millions of ordinary people,. The results of this Russian‐German pact lasted till 1989 and are still in evidence even today. (more on: en.wikipedia.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2015.09.30])
Pius XI's encyclicals: Facing the creation of two totalitarian systems in Europe, which seemed to compete with each other, though there were more similarities than contradictions between them, Pope Pius XI issued in 03.1937 (within 5 days) two encyclicals. In the „Mit brennender Sorge” (Eng. „With Burning Concern”) published on 14.03.1938, condemned the national socialism prevailing in Germany. The Pope wrote: „Whoever, following the old Germanic‐pre‐Christian beliefs, puts various impersonal fate in the place of a personal God, denies the wisdom of God and Providence […], whoever exalts earthly values: race or nation, or state, or state system, representatives of state power or other fundamental values of human society, […] and makes them the highest standard of all values, including religious ones, and idolizes them, this one […] is far from true faith in God and from a worldview corresponding to such faith”. On 19.03.1937, published „Divini Redemptoris” (Eng. „Divine Redeemer”), in which criticized Russian communism, dialectical materialism and the class struggle theory. The Pope wrote: „Communism deprives man of freedom, and therefore the spiritual basis of all life norms. It deprives the human person of all his dignity and any moral support with which he could resist the onslaught of blind passions […] This is the new gospel that Bolshevik and godless communism preaches as a message of salvation and redemption of humanity”… Pius XI demanded that the established human law be subjected to the natural law of God , recommended the implementation of the ideal of a Christian state and society, and called on Catholics to resist. Two years later, National Socialist Germany and Communist Russia came together and started World War II. (more on: www.vatican.vaClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.05.28], www.vatican.vaClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2023.05.28])
sources
personal:
www.bialystok.opoka.org.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.11.14], www.lcn.ltClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.11.14]
original images:
www.partizanai.orgClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2018.09.02], kvr.kpd.ltClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2014.11.14], ipn.gov.plClick to attempt to display webpage
[access: 2019.02.02]
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