catholicmartyrs - Fr. Antony Czerwinski

Anton Karlovich Czerwinski was born on the 8th of October, 1881, in the town of Bilgoraj in Lublin province, Poland. As a child he moved with his parents to the Crimea. He completed the minor seminary and theological studies in Saratov, and the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg, with the degree of masters in theology. He was ordained a priest on the 2nd of April, 1905. From 1906 he was Vicar of the cathedral in Saratov and the personal secretary of the Bishop of Tiraspol, Joseph Kessler, and from September of 1911 parish administrator in Vladikavkaz. After the revolution, when neither bishop nor diocesan administration remained and after many of the churches had been closed Fr. Antony continued to serve in his parish, as well as serving many other parishes in various places, which had been left without a priest. In 1936 he was arrested in Vladikavkaz under a false charge. In 1937 he was condemned to be shot, and was executed on the 26th of January 1938. In 1958 he received posthumous rehabilitation.

Fr. Antony was a good shepherd of his flock, and a good preacher. He was concerned for the spiritual life of his parishioners and for the upbringing of orphans. His parishioners recall how he taught in his sermons how to accept suffering patiently, to bear ones cross in order to unite oneself to Christ, who founded the Catholic Church so that she could lead people on the path to salvation. When he was arrested he acknowledged acceptance of persecution and martyrdom for the faith.

The parishioners remember Fr. Antony as a holy man, who laboured unceasingly for the souls entrusted to his care. Many of the parishioners call upon their martyred pastor for his intercession, and they are convinced that he does intercede for them. Some of those faithful to his memory venerate photographs of him which they have kept. Fr. Antony has had a few articles about him published, and there have been attempts to begin the process of his beatification.