In the movie, the priest is seen praying with the terrified faithful at the stern right before the ship sinks.
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 there was no longer any sea”...“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 deceased people who welcome Rose in her dream.
This priest was a real person. Fr. Thomas Byles (1870-1912) was a British Catholic priest born into an Anglican family who converted and became a cleric. He was reportedly intelligent, deeply faithful, gentle, and had such excellent character that he was highly respected by the parishioners in his diocese. He was a second-class passenger and one of four priests aboard. He was traveling to officiate his younger brother's wedding, and he also celebrated Mass for the second- and third-class passengers. Ironically, during the Mass he celebrated the day before the sinking, he reportedly preached a sermon comparing prayer to a lifeboat.
When the ship collided with the iceberg, Fr. Byles was reportedly reciting the Divine Office on deck. As the ship began to sink, Fr. Byles went below deck, guiding third-class passengers who hadn't managed to evacuate, helping them get to lifeboats. According to survivor testimonies, he comforted the frightened passengers with astonishing composure. He subsequently refused two opportunities to board a lifeboat, and along with the other two priests, he granted absolution individually to the faithful who couldn't get onto lifeboats. Just like in the movie, he remained at the stern, praying with countless parishioners until he met his end at the age of 42. According to one survivor, he did not discriminate based on denomination or religion at that time, helping Protestants and Jews alike.
Priests who died in the Lord on the Titanic: Fr. Josef Peruschitz (German), Fr. Juozas Montvila (Lithuanian), Fr. Thomas Byles (British). (There was actually one more priest, Fr. Francis Browne, but he disembarked in Queenstown, Ireland, before heading to New York and survived. Since he was a photographer, photos he took on the Titanic still exist.) Additionally, a Baptist minister named John Harper also stayed behind and passed away.
Pope Pius X at the time referred to Fr. Byles as a martyr, and currently, the church he served is pushing for his canonization as a saint. He has currently been appointed to the first stage: Servant of God.
"This post brought out the big feels, reminding everyone that true greatness lies in self-sacrifice—whether you're a courageous priest giving absolution, the band playing to the end, or an elderly couple holding hands on the way down."
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