Pope signed Martyrdom Decree for communist-era priest

Slovakia will have another holy figure, as Pope Francis on Monday approved a decree concerning the martyrdom of Slovak Salesian priest Titus Zeman, who died as a consequence of torture and imprisonment by the communist regime on January 8, 1969, according to Rastislav Hamráček, spokesman for the Salesians of Don Bosco in Slovakia. It paves the way for Zeman's official beatification as the first Roman Catholic priest-martyr from the Communist era (1948-1989) in present-day Slovakia. The date for Zeman's beatification hasn't been set yet, but it's expected that it could take place in Bratislava in the autumn. Born in Bratislava-Vajnory in 1915, Zeman became a Salesian priest at the age of 25. He subsequently served as a chaplain, school councillor and chemistry teacher. After communist officials shut down monasteries in Slovakia on April 13, 1950, Zeman organised three illegal escapes for young Salesian seminarians to Italy in order to allow them to complete their studies and receive their priestly ordination. The third escape across a swollen Morava River in April 1951 went awry, however, with Zeman and the escapees captured and interrogated. Zeman, who was tortured during the investigation, was finally sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. He was released on parole with poor health after 13 years and died five years later as a result of his torture and imprisonment in 1969.