Victim of communist regime Jan Havlik proclaimed blessed

Jan Havlik, who died in 1965 at the age of 37 from consequences of torture in Soviet-era prisons, was proclaimed blessed by Pope Francis' legate, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, at a basilica in Sastin in Trnava region on Saturday.

The decree for the martyrdom of Jan Havlik was approved by Pope Francis in December 2023. The date of the liturgical celebration of the feast of the new blessed was set by the pope for February 12.

In his homily, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro stressed that Jan Havlik was a man of hope. "He was a victim of a regime that wanted to destroy the phenomenon of religion, in particular the Catholic Church and its clergy," he noted. The cardinal pointed out that Havlik died three years after his release from prison, completely surrendered to the will of God and forgiving his persecutors.

Jan Havlik was born on February 12, 1928, in the village of Dubovce in Trnava region. In August 1949 he entered the novitiate of the Missionary Society of St. Vincent de Paul. When a year later the communist political authorities decided to eliminate institutes of consecrated life, he and his confreres were sent to forced labour for three months, to build a dam near Puchov. He secretly studied theology alongside his work and continued his seminary formation with the Vincentians.

In October 1951, Havlik was arrested by the erstwhile communist secret service StB together with other novices. He spent 15 months in pre-trial detention, in which he was frequently tortured to make him 'confess' to anti-state activities. He was first sentenced to ten years in prison for treason. His sentence was later prolonged by one year for missionary service among fellow prisoners. He worked at uranium mines in Jachymov in the Czech Republic, and later became the target of psychological abuse in Ruzyne Prison in Prague. After serving his sentence, he was released in October 1962 with seriously impaired health. He died on December 27, 1965, in Skalica.

Source: TASR