New Martyr
Peter Demianiuk
An Orthodox believer of Zaleszany in Podlasie, killed in 1946 together with other villagers.
- Reposed
- 194620th century
- Place
- Zaleszany
- Order
- Martyrs
Life
Holy New Martyr Peter Demianiuk was an Orthodox believer of the village of Zaleszany in Podlasie, Poland, killed in 1946.
On 29 January 1946 a detachment of the National Military Union (NZW) under Romuald Rajs, known as "Bury", entered the Orthodox village of Zaleszany in Podlasie. The villagers were called to a house and the buildings were then set on fire; sixteen people died, fourteen of them burned alive, among them seven children.
He was only sixteen. According to the Zaleszany monastery, he was shot in front of the house where the villagers had been gathered, kneeling and begging for his life; a cross marks the place. Some historical studies link him to the postwar communist party, and the canonization caused discussion in the press.
The Council of Bishops of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church counted him among the 79 Podlasie martyrs proclaimed on 25 July 2020 at the monastery of Saint Catherine in Zaleszany. They are remembered on the last Saturday of July, the day of the Zaleszany Icon of the Mother of God.