On 25th of August, we the Redemptorist family celebrate the Feast of Blessed Dominik Trčka, a Redemptorist martyr whose faith and sacrifice remind us that God’s love transforms lives. May his example inspire us to walk with courage, hope, and trust in Christ’s redeeming love.
Blessed Methodius was born on 6 July 1886 in Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, Czech Republic. He entered the Redemptorists and was ordained a priest in 1910. He dedicated his life to missionary work, especially among Eastern Catholics in Slovakia and later Subcarpathian Ruthenia. In 1946 he became Redemptorist Vice-Provincial in Eastern Slovakia.
After World War II, the communist regime in Czechoslovakia began persecuting the Church. In 1950, during the suppression of monasteries, he was arrested by the secret police, accused of treason, and condemned to 12 years in prison. He endured harsh treatment, hunger, and humiliation. In 1958, after a punishment in freezing conditions, he contracted pneumonia and died in prison on 23 March 1959 in Leopoldov, Slovakia.
He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 4 November 2001 in Rome, recognized as a martyr of the faith. His liturgical memorial is celebrated on 25 August by the Redemptorist Congregation and in certain local calendars. His testimony is honored as a witness of fidelity to Christ and perseverance under communist persecution.
On the feast day special prayer is offered for the healing of soul and body at the relics of Bl.
Methodius in the Redemptorist Basilica in Michalovce.
ST / Scala News
