Ignacy Tokarczuk

Who was Ignacy Tokarczuk?

Ignacy Tokarczuk was a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.

Tokarczuk was born in Łubianki Wyższe near Tarnopol. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Eugeniusz Baziak in Lvov on June 21, 1942. On December 2, 1965, he was appointed a Bishop of the Diocese of Przemyśl, and was consecrated by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński on February 6, 1966. On June 2, 1991, Tokarczuk was bestowed a personal title of archbishop by John Paul II. On March 25, 1992, he became a metropolitan Archbishop of Przemyśl. As the Bishop of Przemysl, he was known for building a great number of churches in his diocese despite the lack of having permission to build from the communist authorities. It is said that he has erected nearly 430 churches during his tenure as a bishop. He was also a great supporter of the Solidarity movement. For his uncompromising stance in the defense of the institution of the Catholic Church in the People's Republic of Poland, he was repeatedly harassed by the Polish Security Service. Tokarczuk retired from the Archdiocese of Przemyśl on April 17, 1993 and was succeed by Archbishop Józef Michalik.

Tokarczuk was also a recipient of the Order of White Eagle, and from 2007 to 2009, he was a member of the Grand Chapter of the Order.