Greek Catholic faithful gathered in the birthplace of Blessed Vasiľ Hopko, a bishop imprisoned and tortured under communism in Czechoslovakia, to mark 50 years since his death.
Hundreds of Greek Catholic faithful gathered in the eastern Slovak village of Hrabské on May 10 to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Blessed Vasiľ Hopko, a bishop imprisoned and tortured by the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.
The archieparchial celebration was held in Hopkoʼs birthplace on the eve of the anniversary of his episcopal consecration on May 11, 1947. The blessed bishop died on July 23, 1976, his health broken by years of incarceration and torture.
Metropolitan Archbishop Jonáš Maxim of Prešov presided over the hierarchical Divine Liturgy, concelebrated by Bishop Kurt Burnette of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, New Jersey, who is currently on a pastoral visit to Europe. Burnette also serves as apostolic administrator of the Exarchate of Sts. Cyril and Methodius of Toronto for Slovaks of the
