The Catholic Church of Andrei Boboli

Andrei Boboli is a priest, Catholic martyr, Belarusian and Polish saint. Andrew was born in a small Polish town in 1591, graduated from the Vilna Jesuit Academy, in 1622 became a priest. He served in Vilna, Nesvizh, Bobruisk, Warsaw, Pinsk and other cities. He went to the cities and villages of Polesie and his own example of true Christian mercy he sought mass conversion to Catholicism of entire settlements. For his missionary work during his lifetime, he was called the “Apostle of Polesie”.

For 20 years Andrew Boboli preached the Catholic faith. For Orthodox Christians, Andrei Boboli became a sworn enemy. He was hunted by Cossacks who considered themselves defenders of Orthodoxy. He died a martyric, terrible death in 1657. Cossacks Bogdan Khmelnitsky attacked the priest in Polissya Ivanovo, tore his skin alive, tore his tongue and beheaded. The body of Andrei Boboli was transported to Pinsk and buried in the Church of St. Stanislav.

In 1808, the relics of the saint were transported from Pinsk to Polotsk, later to Moscow, Rome, Warsaw. In Warsaw, the relics of the saint remain to this day. Andrey Boboli is considered one of the heavenly patrons of Belarus and Poland. After the independence of the Belarusian people in 1996, construction of the Church of St. Andrew Boboli in the ancient city of Polotsk began. His relics were transferred here. The temple is dedicated not only to St. Andrew, but also to all believers of the Belarusian and Polish people who died for their faith.