Alexander Chira was a Ruthenian Catholic bishop born in 1897 in Vil'hivtsi. After being ordained as a priest in Uzhorod in 1920, he eventually became a victim of Soviet religious persecution. While serving time in a concentration camp in 1956, he was secretly appointed to the episcopacy. He spent his final years in exile and died in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, in 1983.
Life and ministry
Born in the village of Irhóc, Chira pursued his religious vocation during a period of intense political upheaval. Following his ordination, he served the Catholic community until the Soviet authorities targeted the Greek Catholic Church. Despite the dangers of his imprisonment, he was named an auxiliary bishop while held in a concentration camp.
Veneration
He is recognized as a Confessor of the Faith due to his endurance during religious persecution. The Catholic Church designates him as a servant of God, reflecting his spiritual significance and the hardships he faced for his beliefs.