Lisbon bids farewell to Pavlo Sadokha, a devoted leader of the Ukrainian community

Lisbon said its final goodbye to Pavlo Sadokha, leader of the Ukrainian community in Portugal. The farewell ceremony took place on Sept. 21 at the funeral center of the Basilica of Estrela and the chapel of the English Cemetery, where he was later laid to rest.

Pavlo headed the Union of Ukrainians in Portugal (UUP), served as Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) for Southern Europe and as deputy head of the UWC’s International Educational Coordinating Council (IECC), and was a holder of the Order of Merit, 3rd Class. He was only 56 when his life was suddenly cut short on Sept. 12.

Those who came to pay their respects to Pavlo Sadokha included representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine in Portugal, Portuguese deputies from the Lisbon Municipal Assembly (Assembleia Municipal de Lisboa) and the Portuguese Parliament (Assembleia da República), community leaders, friends, colleagues, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church chaplains serving in Portugal, and Ukrainians from across the country. Bishop Stepan Sus, head of the Pastoral-Migrant Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, traveled to Portugal specifically to lead the service.

The Portuguese Parliament passed a vote of condolence over Pavlo Sadokha’s death, recognizing his significant contribution to supporting Ukraine’s cause.

Pavlo’s wife, Teresa Lemush, asked those present for just one thing: to carry on the work Pavlo lived and fought for, according to UUP.

“These words will stay with us. We can no longer bring Pavlo back. But we can make sure that what he devoted so many years of his life to does not come to a stop – that the work he built continues, and that his memory lives on not only in our words but in our actions,” the organization added.

Until his last breath, Pavlo worked tirelessly for Ukraine. His greatest strength, said Oles Horodetskyy, head of the Christian Association of Ukrainians in Italy, was his unwavering pro-Ukrainian stance and his refusal to compromise with Ukraine’s enemies.

“Not a single event supporting the Ukrainian language, culture, or history in Portugal – or many pan-European ones – took place without Pavlo. His tremendous life energy and boundless capacity for work ignited the hearts of thousands,” Horodetskyy said.

The Ukrainian World Congress extends its heartfelt condolences to Pavlo’s family and loved ones, his friends, and the entire Ukrainian community of Portugal. In his memory, the UWC calls on everyone to take a moment to pray, light a candle, or arrange a memorial service.

May Pavlo’s work live on among us. Eternal and blessed memory to a patriot of Ukraine and a devoted leader of the Ukrainian community.