Today, November 12, the Church honors St. Josaphat Kuntsevych, a bishop and monk remembered for his deep faith and tireless efforts to bring unity between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. While Roman Catholics and some Eastern Catholics commemorate him today, others, especially in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, observe his feast on November 25.

Josaphat was born around 1580 in Volhynia, a region in present-day western Ukraine, and was given the name John Kuntsevych. Raised in an Orthodox Christian family, he lived during a time when the Eastern and Western Churches were divided. Though the two traditions had briefly reunited after the fifteenth-century Council of Florence, old divisions resurfaced due to political and theological tensions. By John’s time, hostility toward the Catholic Church had become widespread among many Orthodox Christians.

Trained as a merchant, John could have lived a prosperous life, but he chose a different path. Drawn to the spiritual depth of Byzantine monastic life, he entered a monastery in 1604, taking the name Josaphat. His life’s mission soon became clear, to help restore unity between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity while preserving the rich spiritual heritage of the Eastern Church.

Ordained a priest and later appointed archbishop, Josaphat became a leading figure in the Ruthenian Church’s reunion with Rome following the 1596 Union of Brest. He devoted himself to reforming the clergy, caring for the poor, and writing catechisms and apologetic works to strengthen the faith of his people. His commitment and kindness won the respect of many Orthodox believers, who saw in him a genuine reflection of Christian love.

However, Josaphat’s efforts for unity also made him a target of strong opposition. Many viewed him as a threat, and tensions between supporters and opponents of reunion grew dangerously high. Even as plots against him surfaced, Josaphat remained steadfast, declaring, “You want to put me to death. I am here among you as a shepherd, and I would be happy to give my life for you.”

That moment came in 1623 in the city of Vitebsk. After an angry mob, incited by false rumors, attacked his residence, Josaphat was beaten, shot, and beheaded. Before dying, he prayed for his attackers. His body, later recovered from the river where it was thrown, was found incorrupt five years later.

In an extraordinary turn of events, Josaphat’s former rival, the Orthodox Archbishop Meletius, eventually reconciled with the Catholic Church. St. Josaphat was canonized in 1867 and continues to be venerated as a martyr for Christian unity, an enduring symbol of reconciliation, faith, and peace among divided believers.