St. Josaphat, November 12, Patron of Reunion Between Orthodox and Roman Catholics, Persimmon Cookies

Persimmon Spice Raisin Cookies

Christian cooks from around the world have used the foods that were available to them when honoring the saints and celebrating the great and solemn feasts of the Christian calendar. We living in the 21st century in first world countries have at our fingertips almost any kind of ingredient that we wish to make a special dish or dessert out of.

Often I will write about and bake a traditional food associated with the feast day that is being featured on this blog. I do that because it is good to know and appreciate the culinary traditions of Catholic culture. Today, though, I am using persimmons, a fruit I only recently tasted and am experimenting with. It is not associated with the feast of the brave and inspiring martyr for the faith, St. Josaphat, as far as I know. It is, however, a fruit in season here in Florida, my new home, and one that my stepmother has given me in abundance. So I am following the tradition of using what is in season, as did our Christian bakers, to whip up a treat to honor the saint of the day! After telling you a bit about St. Josaphat, I will share the recipe and sing the praises of persimmons!

St. Josaphat was born John Kuncewicz (or Kuntsevych) in northwest Ukraine, 1580. His parents were members of the Eastern Rite Church of the Ukraine which was not united to Rome at that time. John received a special grace as a young boy. He felt a spark of fire leave the wound of the Crucified Lord and enter his heart. It inspired him to want to suffer poverty and martyrdom for Christ.

His father wished him to learn the family business. In 1595 the Ukrainian and Byelorussian bishops voted to reunite with Rome. In 1598

seven bishops signed the Union of Brest which allowed their followers to keep their Eastern Rites and be united fully with the Church of Rome. Soon after this John made a profession of faith and entered the Basilian Monastery of the Holy Trinity at Vilno taking the name of Josaphat.

Many of the Ukrainian Rite members refused to reunite with Rome and there was great hostilities towards those who did. In 1609 Josaphat was ordained to the priesthood and he began his life's work of preaching, spiritual direction, and working with the poor. His example of deep love of Christ and the poor inspired over sixty men to join the Basilian Order.

Josaphat worked tirelessly among his parishioners. He was consecrated bishop and among other things reinstituted devotion to the Mother of God, all the while, gathering texts on the unity of the Church from the writings of the Eastern Fathers and Doctors. The heart of his work was the reunification of the Eastern Orthodox Church with Rome. This work led to his martyrdom by those who violently opposed reunion, including Bishop Meletius Smotrysky. Bishop Smotrysky was joined by schismatic preachers from Constantinople who preached vigorously against reunion. They maligned Bishop Josaphat's good name by spreading lies about him. They sought his death.  He continued to prayer for them and for reunion. Eventually assassins seized him and slit his throat, decapitating him. They then shot him and dumped his body into a nearby river.  

Since a young boy, Josaphat had envisioned martyrdom. He prayed , "Grant that I be found worthy, Lord, to shed my blood for the union and obedience to the Apostolic See." Twenty years after his death, Pope Urban VIII declared him "Blessed." In 1867 Pope Pius IX declared him a "Saint."  His old rival, Bishop Meletius reunited with Rome as did numerous others.  "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church."

                                                                         

St. Josaphat, Pray for Us!

Here is the link to the cookies pictured above. It is from the website Two Peas & Their Pod. The cookies are delicious and easy to make. Persimmon Cookies  The fruit itself is sweet and mild. There are numerous recipes online including persimmon bread and jam that you might like to try.

Enjoy!

I was not able to readily locate a children's book for St. Josaphat, but I found this prayer which Philip Kosloski posted in an article he wrote for Aletia, 11/12/2018.

Below is an excerpt from a prayer found in the Ukrainian Rite prayer book, My Divine Friend.

O Saint Josaphat, wonderful Saint and heroic martyr for the union of our Church with the Vicar of Christ, the Pope of Rome. Thou are glorious on account of thy zeal in the propagation of the true Catholic faith among our people. Thou art wonderful because of thy heroic martyrdom for the unity of faith of our people with the Holy See of Rome, the true center of orthodox Catholicism.Thou art admirable on account of thy sublime virtues with which thou has adorned thy soul. We admire thy ardent love for Jesus and Mary and thy allegiance to the Vicar of Christ. Thou art a sublime example of all virtues for the people of whom thou wert born. Since thou art so powerful with God as thy miracles prove, I ask thee to obtain for me from Jesus and Mary a strong attachment to the Catholic faith and my beautiful Eastern Rite which I shall never betray nor abandon. Obtain also the grace of indefatigable zeal that I may labor for the reunion of my separated Eastern Brethren. Amen.