Ivan Sleziuk was a Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishop who lived from 1896 to 1973. Born in the village of Zhyvachiv within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he entered the priesthood in 1923 following his seminary studies. He was later consecrated as a coadjutor bishop in 1945 to ensure leadership continuity. His religious service was heavily interrupted by repeated arrests and deportations to Soviet labor camps, where he endured significant hardship during his life in the Soviet Union.
Life and persecution
Following his ordination, Sleziuk was appointed as a coadjutor bishop in April 1945. Shortly after this appointment, he was arrested and sent to labor camps in Vorkuta for ten years. After his release in 1954, he returned to Stanislaviv, but he faced a second imprisonment in a strict regimen camp starting in 1962. Even after his release, he remained under constant surveillance by the KGB until his death.
Death and veneration
Sleziuk died in Ivano-Frankivsk in December 1973. According to testimony from Bishop Sofron Dmyterko, the bishop suffered severe physical distress following a final interrogation by the KGB, which some suggest involved radiation. He is recognized as a blessed hieromartyr, and his feast days are observed on June 28 and December 2.