Where You Die is Not Important

 One of the sad realities of some of my "cloistered brothers," is dying in prison.  No one wants to die in prison.  This fact was brought to mind upon reading the biography of Vasil' Hopko. Bishop Hopko was a bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church. When the Communist took over Czechoslovakia, the Greek Orthodox were suppressed.  Bishop Hopko was arrested and tortured. He was put in solitary confinement, in the dark and slowly fed arsenic.  In the dark, his body fell into depression and was unable to sleep and even walk.  After 14 years, he was released for health reasons.  He did what he could to re-establish religion.  

Here is the money quote: Bishop Hopko died on 23 July 1976 in Presov. He made his own the words of Bishop Gojdic*:  "For me, it is not important if I die in the Bishop's Palace or in prison; what matters is entering into Paradise".

*Bishop Gojdic was Vasil' Hopko's superior.  He also was arrested and died in prison.