Władysław Findysz commemorated by Pope as communist martyr

During a general audience, the Pope commemorated Blessed Władysław Findysz, the first Polish priest beatified as a martyr of communist persecution. The remembrance coincided with the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism.

Findysz, born in 1907, was known for his charitable work during World War II, including assisting those forced into labor in Germany and protecting Lemko families during the ‘Wisła’ operation. Following the Second Vatican Council, he was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to two and a half years in prison during a show trial.

While imprisoned, his health declined significantly due to physical and mental mistreatment, and authorities denied him necessary medical surgery. He was released in a state of extreme exhaustion and passed away shortly after in August 1964. He was beatified in 2005.