Blessed Mykola Tsehelskyi
Greek-Catholic Priest and Martyr
(1896-1951)

        Mykola Tsehelskyi was born on December 17, 1896, in the village of Strusiv, Ternopil District, Ukraine. He completed his course at the theological faculty of Lviv University in 1923. On April 5, 1925, Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytsky ordained him a priest.

        Fr. Mykola zealously raised up the spirituality, education and welfare of his parishioners. He ministered in the village of Soroko, where he built a new church. After World War II, the era of total repression began. Fr. Mykola experienced intimidation, threats and beatings.

        On October 28, 1946, Fr. Mykola was arrested. On January 27, 1947, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. Although he had a wife, two sons and two daughters, he was deported to labor camps in Mordovia. He lived in extremely horrid conditions at a camp that was notoriously strict and cruel.

        Fr. Mykola suffered from severe pain and died a martyr on May 25, 1951. Miracles from his intercession and proof of his heroic virtues show that he gained the beatific vision. He was beatified with 24 other Greek Catholics by Pope John Paul II on June 27, 2001, in Lliv.