Roman Lysko was a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest born in 1914 in Horodok. After graduating from the Lviv Theological Academy, he was ordained by Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in 1941. He served various parishes, including those in Kotliw and Belzets, and was an active leader within the Plast youth organization. During the Soviet era, he faced intense persecution for refusing to renounce his faith and convert to Orthodoxy, eventually dying in a Lviv prison in 1949.
Life and death
Lysko dedicated much of his life to pastoral work and youth ministry alongside his wife. Following his arrest by the NKVD in 1949, he was held in a Lviv prison. Witnesses noted that he continued to sing Psalms even after enduring torture. He was eventually entombed within the prison walls, where he died of starvation. Although official reports initially cited heart failure, his death is recognized as a martyrdom for his refusal to abandon his religious identity.
Veneration
He is honored as a martyr within the Catholic tradition. In 2001, Pope John Paul II beatified him, recognizing his sacrifice. His memory is preserved through a commemorative plaque on the Lonsky Avenue building where he was imprisoned, which notes that he was entombed alive for his faith. His feast day is observed on 14 October.