Fidelis Chojnacki was a Polish Capuchin friar and Catholic priest born in 1906 in Łódź. After working as a clerk in Warsaw, he entered the Capuchin Order in August 1933. He pursued studies in philosophy at Zakroczym and theology in Lublin, where he also established an intellectual club for seminarians and wrote religious articles. His ministry included leading Catholic Action and assisting individuals recovering from addiction. He was arrested in January 1940, leading to his imprisonment in concentration camps.
Life and death
Following his arrest in 1940, Chojnacki was held at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp before being transferred to Dachau. He died there on July 9, 1942, due to exhaustion. His remains were cremated within the camp crematorium. He is recognized as one of the 108 martyrs of the Second World War.
Veneration
The Catholic Church honors him as a blessed martyr. He is commemorated on June 12 and July 9. His life of service to the Capuchin Order and his death in the concentration camps serve as the basis for his religious veneration.