Narrated by Martin Sheen, MESSENGER OF THE TRUTH tells the remarkable true story of Catholic priest and human rights activist Father Jerzy Popieluszko (1947-1984), whose faith, conviction and courage mobilized the people of Poland to stand against Communist rule during the 1980s. In his powerful sermons, Father Jerzy spoke about human rights, railed against injustice and tyranny, and advocated for truth and freedom. Archival recordings and footage from his masses provide a glimpse into how Father Jerzy's stirring oratory ignited and sustained the Polish Solidarity movement. Father Jerzy's following in this almost wholly Catholic country, not to mention his outspokenness on behalf of workers' rights, eventually drew the attention of the Soviet-backed regime and the secret police. Members of the Polish internal intelligence agency eventually succeeded in silencing Father Jerzy, assassinating him in 1984. Not surprisingly, Father Jerzy's death turned the young priest into a martyr and only served to further galvanize the movement and the nation. His legacy was further cemented in 2010, when Pope Benedict beatified Father Jerzy - the last step before achieving sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.
