Welcome
Glory to Jesus Christ!
I love you, O Lord, my strength; You are my stronghold and my refuge (Psalm 18:2-3)
Welcome to the Blessed Theodore Romzha blog. I've wanted to create a blog dedicated to Blessed Theodore for some time now. My hope for this blog is to post news about the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church in America and the Eparchy of Mukačevo and other Eastern Catholic themes. I decided to launch this new blog today because today is the feast of Blessed Theodore.
A little about the Patron of this blog:
Blessed Theodore was the bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacevo. He studied at the Pontifical Russian College in Rome and was ordained a celibate priest on Christmas Day 1936. He was chosen bishop by the Holy See and consecrated in 1944 at the young age of thirty three.
Blessed Theodore became bishop during a troubled time. The Soviet Union invaded and occupied Ukraine towards the end of World War II. After the war it became clear that the Red Army would not be leaving Ukraine. In 1945 Sub-Carpathian was Incorporated into Soviet Ukraine.
The atheist communist wanted to destroy all religion. Orthodox and Catholic believers suffered under the yoke of the godless. Greek Catholics in particular were targeted because of their loyalty to Rome and the Holy Father and their use of the Byzantine rite. The Russian Orthodox Church was tolerated, and sadly, used to forcefully convert Greek Catholics to Orthodoxy.
Blessed Theodore resisted efforts by the communist authorities. He was offered a high position in the Russian Church if he would renounce Catholic unity. He refused. In late October Blessed Theodore was attacked on the road by a Soviet military vehicle. His carriage was ran off the road. The others who were travailing with him were hurt badly. Blessed Theodore was in serious condition and moved to the local hospital.
On the night of October 31 Blessed Theodore was poisoned and died a martyr for the Catholic faith. He was beatified by Pope (St.) John Paul II on June, 21 2001.
Tropar and Kontakion of Blessed Theodore:
My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horse men!Up on a cart as up on his bishop's throne, Theodore has been carried beyond the sanctuary veil. Let fall, O father, your mantle of pray'r,and beseech Christ to save our souls.
Though the god less poured poison in to your veins, your heart still beats with love for Christ, O bishop Theodore, martyred father,who now raise your prayers be fore the Throne of God.
For more information of Blessed Theodore see the Eparchy of Passaic biography. For a more in depth look at the life of Blessed Theodore see Fr. Laslo Puskas, Theodore Romzha: His Life - Times and Martyrdom, available from Eastern Christian Publications.
I love you, O Lord, my strength; You are my stronghold and my refuge (Psalm 18:2-3)
Welcome to the Blessed Theodore Romzha blog. I've wanted to create a blog dedicated to Blessed Theodore for some time now. My hope for this blog is to post news about the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church in America and the Eparchy of Mukačevo and other Eastern Catholic themes. I decided to launch this new blog today because today is the feast of Blessed Theodore.
A little about the Patron of this blog:
Blessed Theodore was the bishop of the Eparchy of Mukacevo. He studied at the Pontifical Russian College in Rome and was ordained a celibate priest on Christmas Day 1936. He was chosen bishop by the Holy See and consecrated in 1944 at the young age of thirty three.
Blessed Theodore became bishop during a troubled time. The Soviet Union invaded and occupied Ukraine towards the end of World War II. After the war it became clear that the Red Army would not be leaving Ukraine. In 1945 Sub-Carpathian was Incorporated into Soviet Ukraine.
The atheist communist wanted to destroy all religion. Orthodox and Catholic believers suffered under the yoke of the godless. Greek Catholics in particular were targeted because of their loyalty to Rome and the Holy Father and their use of the Byzantine rite. The Russian Orthodox Church was tolerated, and sadly, used to forcefully convert Greek Catholics to Orthodoxy.
Blessed Theodore resisted efforts by the communist authorities. He was offered a high position in the Russian Church if he would renounce Catholic unity. He refused. In late October Blessed Theodore was attacked on the road by a Soviet military vehicle. His carriage was ran off the road. The others who were travailing with him were hurt badly. Blessed Theodore was in serious condition and moved to the local hospital.
On the night of October 31 Blessed Theodore was poisoned and died a martyr for the Catholic faith. He was beatified by Pope (St.) John Paul II on June, 21 2001.
Tropar and Kontakion of Blessed Theodore:
My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horse men!Up on a cart as up on his bishop's throne, Theodore has been carried beyond the sanctuary veil. Let fall, O father, your mantle of pray'r,and beseech Christ to save our souls.
Though the god less poured poison in to your veins, your heart still beats with love for Christ, O bishop Theodore, martyred father,who now raise your prayers be fore the Throne of God.
For more information of Blessed Theodore see the Eparchy of Passaic biography. For a more in depth look at the life of Blessed Theodore see Fr. Laslo Puskas, Theodore Romzha: His Life - Times and Martyrdom, available from Eastern Christian Publications.
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