Jerzy Aleksander Popiełuszko (Polish pronunciation: [ˈjɛʐɨ a.lɛkˈsan.dɛr popʲɛˈwuʂkɔ] born Alfons Popiełuszko; 14 September 1947 – 19 October 1984) was a Polish Roman Catholic priest who became associated with the opposition Solidarity trade union in communist Poland. He was murdered in 1984 by three agents of the Security Service, who were shortly thereafter tried and convicted of the murder.
Popiełuszko has been recognized as a martyr by the Roman Catholic Church and was beatified on 6 June 2010 by Cardinal Angelo Amato on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI. An alleged miracle attributed to his intercession, which could lead to his canonization, is now under investigation.
Alfons was born on 14 September 1947 in Okopy, near Suchowola. After finishing school, he attended the priests' seminary at Warsaw. In 1966–1968, he served his army duties in a special force in Bartoszyce, aimed at keeping young men from becoming priests. This treatment had no effect on Alfons's beliefs, as, after finishing his army service, he continued his studies; however, the repeated punishments for his resistance affected his health for the rest of his life. Alfons, with seminary superiors' permission, changed his name from Alfons to Jerzy because the word "alfons" was used to describe a person (especially a man) who deals with prostitution, giving it a negative connotation in Warsaw. Living in the multicultural Podlasie region, the Popiełuszko family is sometimes perceived today as Belarusian; it is pointed out that during the first years of his life, the future priest communicated in a Belarusian dialect referred to as simple language.
Popiełuszko was ordained a priest by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński in May 1972. As a young priest he first served in Ząbki near Warsaw in 1972–1975. Afterwards, he served in parishes in Warsaw, which consisted of the common people as well as students. In 1981, Popiełuszko joined the workers, taking part with strikers in the Warsaw Steelworks. Thereafter he was associated with workers and trade unionists from the Solidarity movement who opposed the communist regime in Poland.
He was a staunch opponent of the communist regime and, in his sermons, interwove spiritual exhortations with political messages, criticizing the government, expressing solidarity with the interned and motivating people to protest. During the period of martial law, the Catholic Church was the only force that could voice protest comparatively openly, with the regular celebration of Mass presenting opportunities for public gatherings in churches.
Popiełuszko's sermons were routinely broadcast by Radio Free Europe, and thus became known throughout Poland for their uncompromising stance against the regime.
Popiełuszko had a dog named Tajniak, meaning "secret agent". It was run over by a ZSD Nysa.
Invited by the Pastoral Care of the Working People (Polish: Duszpasterstwo Ludzi Pracy), Popiełuszko arrived in Bydgoszcz on 19 October 1984. At 18:00, he celebrated Holy Mass at the Church of the Holy Polish Brothers Martyrs.
A car accident had been set up to kill Popiełuszko on 13 October 1984 but he evaded it. The alternative plan was to kidnap him; it was carried out on 19 October 1984. Popiełuszko was beaten to death by three Security Police officers: Captain Grzegorz Piotrowski, Leszek Pękala, and Waldemar Chmielewski. They pretended to have problems with their car and flagged down Popiełuszko's car for help. Popiełuszko was severely beaten, tied up and put in the trunk of the car. The officers bound a stone to his feet and dropped him into the Vistula Water Reservoir near Włocławek from where his body was recovered on 30 October 1984. A day after the discovery, President Ronald Reagan acknowledged that Polish people lamented as they were aware of Popiełuszko's passing. Reagan stated that Popiełuszko "was a champion of Christian values and a courageous spokesman for the cause of liberty."
News of the political murder caused an uproar throughout Poland, and the murderers and one of their superiors, Colonel Adam Pietruszka, were convicted of the crime. A huge crowd estimated to be between 600,000 to 1 million, including Lech Wałęsa, attended his funeral on 3 November 1984. The murder was widely used in political propaganda of the Polish opposition in the late 1980s. Popiełuszko's murderers – Captain Grzegorz Piotrowski, Leszek Pękala, Waldemar Chmielewski and Colonel Adam Pietruszka, responsible for giving the order to kill – received prison sentences.
Popiełuszko was posthumously awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest decoration, in 2009. He is buried in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Warsaw, where millions of visitors paid tribute, including famous politicians like U.S. Vice President George Bush in September 1987.
The Roman Catholic Church started the process of his beatification with the declaration of nihil obstat (nothing against) on 15 March 1996 and held a diocesan process from 8 February 1997 to 8 February 2001. This conferred upon him the title of Servant of God. The beatification portrait of Popiełuszko was painted by Zbigniew Kotyłło as he won a competition prior to Popiełuszko's beatification.
In October 1994, 10th anniversary after the death of Popiełuszko, during the private worship, extensive materials were handed over to cardinal Józef Glemp. Then, the Commission for the Preparation of the Beatification Process of Jerzy Popiełuszko was established and coined by Cardinal Józef, gathering all the documents related to Popiełuszko's life and martyrdom that include secular documents, manuscripts of Popiełuszko's homilies, his letters, recordings of his public appearances, and the files of the Toruń trial along with the prosecutor's files from the investigation against him.
On 3 May 2001, the beatification process began as proven by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints that his death was voluntary and simultaneous that he defended Catholic values. In 2006, 5 years later, Tomasz Kaczmarek, a postulator for the beatification, announced the completion of the work on the 1,157-page document that is titled "Position on Matyrdom," or positio, along with the detailed evidence that had to be gathered not only to prove Popiełuszko's death as a martyr, but also rather that he accepted death reconciled with Christ. However, the evidence required the opinions of clergy, psychologists, doctors, and others. Kaczmarek also stated that the date of Popiełuszko's death was speculated. The speculation not only resulted in thorough investigation but the beatification was not halted or Popiełuszko's death was declared a "martyr's death." Then two years later, the positio was submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and on 19 December 2009 it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI had approved the decree for the beatification of Popiełuszko.
On 30 May 2010 in Warsaw, Polish bishops appealed for the beatification that would take place on 6 June that year. According to the pastoral letter that was read by bishops, the beatification ceremony would become a "great celebration for our homeland" and the bishops wrote that they "thank Divine Providence for [their] freedom and for those who led us towards it," as well as the strikes in Poland that lead to the foundation of the Solidarity in 1980, also known as the August Agreements. In addition to being thankful for Solidarity's foundation, Popiełuszko's mentor were also honored in the tribute that lead to the beatification, including Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński and Pope John Paul II, along with his quote on the 10th anniversary of Popiełuszko's death, quoted: "The priest-martyr will forever remain in the memory of our nation as a fearless defender of truth, justice, freedom and human dignity." The bishops gave were also thankful for the gift of life, vocation, and ministry of Popiełuszko. The August Agreements was recalled that one of the bishops was sent by Cardinal Stefan to celebrate the Holy Mass for striking steelworks in Warsaw. Then, the bishops also recalled the Holy Masses for the Homeland celebrated by Popiełuszko following the martial law imposition in Poland. According to the bishops, Popiełuszko's sermons were "calm and objective." Along with defending human dignity and the nation's, Popiełuszko "called for witness in a difficult and painful way," and he also was a "brother to everyone," wanted to be close to anyone, captivated with his simplicity and warmth while he simultaneously administered the holy sacraments and attended the trials of political prisoners, as well as organizing care for their families and helping them to overcome fear. Popiełuszko believed the word of Christ that knowing the truth will set anyone free. In addition to the truth setting anyone free, Popiełuszko also affirmed that one must live the truth in order to remain "a spiritually free person" and bear witness, which truth is unchangeable. The beatification formula was delivered in Latin by Archbishop Angelo, then it was read in Polish by Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz.