The priest in the movie who prays with the fearful parishioners at the stern, right before the ship goes under.
He recites the Hail Mary and Revelation 21:1-4.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more"... "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
This priest reappears at the end as one of the dead people who welcome Rose in her dream.
This priest was a real person: Fr. Thomas Byles (1870-1912), a Catholic priest and one of four priests aboard, was a British 2nd class passenger. Born into an Anglican family, he converted and became a priest. He was apparently smart, deeply faithful, gentle, and highly respected by his parishioners. He boarded to officiate his brother’s wedding, and he even celebrated Mass for 2nd and 3rd class passengers. The irony? The day before the sinking, he reportedly gave a sermon comparing prayer to a lifeboat.
When the ship hit the iceberg, Father Byles was apparently reciting the Divine Office on deck. As the ship began to sink, he went below deck, leading the 3rd class passengers who couldn't get out, helping them evacuate and board lifeboats. Survivors testified that his incredible calmness helped reassure the terrified passengers. He later refused two opportunities to board a lifeboat. He stayed with the other two priests, granting absolution to all believers who couldn't get on a lifeboat, and, just like in the movie, he remained at the stern, praying with countless faithful until his death at age 42. One survivor even claimed he gave absolution regardless of denomination—Protestant, Jewish, or otherwise.
Priests who died on the Titanic: Fr. Josef Peruschitz (German), Fr. Juozas Montvila (Lithuanian), Fr. Thomas Byles (British). (There was originally one more priest, Fr. Francis Browne, but he disembarked at Queenstown, Ireland, before heading to New York, and survived. He was a photographer, so his photos from the Titanic still exist.) Additionally, a Baptist minister named John Harper similarly stayed behind and passed away.
Pope Pius X at the time referred to Father Byles as a martyr. Currently, the parish where Father Byles served is pushing for him to be canonized as a saint. He has already been designated as a 'Servant of God,' which is the first step.
"Everyone is mind blown by Father Byles' absolute faith stats. Refusing a lifeboat twice? Now *that's* dedication to securing that Heaven VIP pass."
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