John Sarkander
| Saint John Sarkander | |
|---|---|
 Statue of John Sarkander at Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc | |
| Saint and martyr | |
| Born |
December 20, 1576 Skoczów, Silesia, Crown of Bohemia (now Poland) |
| Died |
March 17, 1620 Olomouc, Moravia, Crown of Bohemia (now Czechia) |
| Beatified | May 6, 1860, Rome, Italy by Pope Pius IX |
| Canonized | May 21, 1995, Olomouc by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | March 17 |
Saint John Sarkander (Czech and Polish: Jan Sarkander) (December 20, 1576 – March 17, 1620) was a Polish and Moravian priest.
Jan Sarkander was born into a Silesian (Bohemian-Polish) family, father Gregory Matthias Sarkander and mother Helena née Górecka of Kornicz (Kornitz), at Skoczów in Duchy of Teschen (Silesia).
He studied since 1597 at the University of Olomouc and then since 1600 at the Charles University in Prague, where he became doctor of philosophy. Later, he studied theology at University of Graz. He was ordained in 1609 and worked in Holešov from 1616.
In 1620, during the ongoing Bohemian Revolt, Sarkander was by Protestant Moravian Estates accused of betrayal and tortured in Olomouc prison, partially due to his refusal to divulge what was said in confession.[1] Today the St. Jan Sarkander chapel stands on the place of his torture. The original torturing rack and Sarkander's gravestone are preserved here. Sarkander was canonized by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Olomouc in 1995.
Gallery
Frescos in Chapel of Saint John Sarkander in Olomouc:
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Procession of John Sarkander in Holešov and the Lisowczycy (Polish cavalerists)
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Incarceration of John Sarkander
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Torturing of John Sarkander
References
- ↑
"Bl. John Sarkander". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.
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