Registration No. 333-_____
                                                     Filed October 8, 1996

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933




                               Life Bancorp, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Articles of Incorporation)

  Virginia                                             54-1711207
-------------------------                  -------------------------------------
(State of Incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                              109 East Main Street
                             Norfolk, Virginia 23510
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)


         Life Savings Bank, FSB Employees' Savings & Profit Sharing Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                           Copies to:
Edward E. Cunningham                       Timothy B. Matz, Esq.
Chairman of the Board, President and       Hugh T. Wilkinson, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer                    Patricia J. Wohl, Esq.
Life Bancorp, Inc.                         Elias, Matz, Tiernan & Herrick L.L.P.
109 East Main Street                       734 15th Street, N.W.
Norfolk, Virginia 23510                    Washington, D.C. 20005
---------------------------------------    (202) 347-0300
(Name and Address of Agent For Service)    


(757) 858-1000
---------------------------------------
(Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of
Agent for Service)

<PAGE>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Title of
  Securities     Amount    Proposed Maximum    Proposed Maximum     Amount of
     to be        to be     Offering Price         Aggregate       Registration
  Registered   Registered    Per Share(2)      Offering Price(2)       Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Common Stock,
 par value
 $.01           25,000(1)      $16.125             $403,125          $122.16

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



(1) Represents an estimate of such presently  undeterminable number of shares as
may be purchased with employee  contributions pursuant to the Life Savings Bank,
FSB  Employees'  Savings & Profit  Sharing  Plan (the  "Plan").  The Plan is the
successor to the Life Savings Bank, FSB Financial  Institutions Thrift Plan (the
"Thrift  Plan"),  effective  May 1, 1995.  In addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c)
under the Securities  Act of 1933,  this  registration  statement also covers an
indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee
benefit plan described herein.

(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration  fee, which
has been calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h). The Proposed Maximum Offering Price
Per Share is the  average of the high and low prices of the  common  stock,  par
value $.01 per share (the "Common  Stock") of Life Bancorp,  Inc. (the "Company"
or the "Registrant") on the Nasdaq National Market on October 2, 1996.

                           --------------------------

         This Registration  Statement shall become effective  automatically upon
the date of filing in  accordance  with  Section 8(a) of the  Securities  Act of
1933, as amended, and 17 C.F.R. ss. 230.462.

                           --------------------------

         This Registration  Statement  registers shares to be issued pursuant to
the Plan in addition to shares which were previously registered by the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Commission File No. 33-91836) filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  ("Commission") on May 2, 1995. The contents
of the prior Form S-8 are incorporated by reference.

                                        2

<PAGE>

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8.  Exhibits

         The following  exhibits are filed with this  Registration  Statement on
Form S-8 (numbering corresponds to Exhibit Table in Item 601 of Regulation S-K):

         No.      Exhibit                                                  Page

         4        Specimen Common Stock Certificate.                        *

         23       Consent of Edmondson, LedBetter & Ballard, L.L.P.         E-1

         24       Power of attorney for any subsequent amendments
                  (located in the signature pages of this Registration
                  Statement).                                               --

         99       Life Savings Bank, FSB Employees' Savings & Profit
                  Sharing Plan                                              *

----------------

*      Incorporated  by reference from the Company's  Registration  Statement on
Form S-8  (Commission  File No.  33-91836)  filed with the  Commission on May 2,
1995.
                                        3

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in the City of Norfolk, Commonwealth of Virginia, on this 8th day of
October, 1996.

                                       LIFE BANCORP, INC.


                                       By:  /s/ Edward E. Cunningham
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Edward E. Cunningham, Chairman of the
                                           Board, President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer


         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Edward E. Cunningham his or her true and
lawful  attorney,  with full power to sign for such person and in such  person's
name and capacity  indicated  below, and with full power of substitution any and
all amendments to this Registration  Statement,  hereby ratifying and confirming
such  person's  signature  as it may be signed by said  attorney  to any and all
amendments.


 /s/ Edward E. Cunningham                                        October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Edward E. Cunningham
Chairman of the Board, President
and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)


 /s/ Emory J. Dunning, Jr.                                       October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Emory J. Dunning, Jr.
Senior Vice President, Treasurer
and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)


 /s/ Joseph C. Addington, Jr.                                    October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Joseph C. Addington, Jr.
Director


 /s/ Charles M. Earley, Jr., M.D.                                October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Charles M. Earley, Jr., M.D.
Director


 /s/ William J. Fanney                                           October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
William J. Fanney
Director

<PAGE>

 /s/ E. Saunders Early, Jr.                                      October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
E. Saunders Early, Jr.
Director


 /s/ Donald I. Fentress                                          October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Donald I. Fentress
Director


 /s/ William J. Jonak, Jr.                                       October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
William J. Jonak, Jr.
Director


 /s/ Frederick V. Martin                                         October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Frederick V. Martin
Director


 /s/ Tollie W. Rich, Jr.                                         October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Tollie W. Rich, Jr.
Executive Vice President, Chief
Operating Officer and Director


 /s/ Braden Vandeventer                                          October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Braden Vandeventer
Director

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the trustee
who  administers  the employee  benefit  plan has duly caused this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Norfolk,  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  on October 8,
1996.

                                       LIFE SAVINGS BANK, FSB
                                       EMPLOYEES' SAVINGS & PROFIT
                                       SHARING PLAN

                                       LIFE SAVINGS BANK, FSB TRUSTEE


                                       By: /s/ Edward E. Cunningham
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Edward E. Cunningham, Chairman of the
                                           Board, President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer


<PAGE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9972}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "LIFE BANCORP INC", "cik": "0000926039", "assigned-sic": "6035", "irs-number": "541711207", "state-of-incorporation": "VA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-13689", "film-number": "96640723"}, "business-address": {"street1": "109 E MAIN ST", "city": "NORFOLK", "state": "VA", "zip": "23510", "phone": "8048581000"}, "mail-address": {"street2": "109 E MAIN STREET", "city": "NORFOLK", "state": "VA", "zip": "23510"}}
Registration No. 333-_____
                                                     Filed October 8, 1996

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                               Life Bancorp, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Articles of Incorporation)

  Virginia                                             54-1711207
-------------------------                  -------------------------------------
(State of Incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                              109 East Main Street
                             Norfolk, Virginia 23510
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

         Life Savings Bank, FSB Employees' Savings & Profit Sharing Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                           Copies to:
Edward E. Cunningham                       Timothy B. Matz, Esq.
Chairman of the Board, President and       Hugh T. Wilkinson, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer                    Patricia J. Wohl, Esq.
Life Bancorp, Inc.                         Elias, Matz, Tiernan & Herrick L.L.P.
109 East Main Street                       734 15th Street, N.W.
Norfolk, Virginia 23510                    Washington, D.C. 20005
---------------------------------------    (202) 347-0300
(Name and Address of Agent For Service)    

(757) 858-1000
---------------------------------------
(Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of
Agent for Service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Title of
  Securities     Amount    Proposed Maximum    Proposed Maximum     Amount of
     to be        to be     Offering Price         Aggregate       Registration
  Registered   Registered    Per Share(2)      Offering Price(2)       Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock,
 par value
 $.01           25,000(1)      $16.125             $403,125          $122.16

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Represents an estimate of such presently  undeterminable number of shares as
may be purchased with employee  contributions pursuant to the Life Savings Bank,
FSB  Employees'  Savings & Profit  Sharing  Plan (the  "Plan").  The Plan is the
successor to the Life Savings Bank, FSB Financial  Institutions Thrift Plan (the
"Thrift  Plan"),  effective  May 1, 1995.  In addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c)
under the Securities  Act of 1933,  this  registration  statement also covers an
indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee
benefit plan described herein.

(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration  fee, which
has been calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h). The Proposed Maximum Offering Price
Per Share is the  average of the high and low prices of the  common  stock,  par
value $.01 per share (the "Common  Stock") of Life Bancorp,  Inc. (the "Company"
or the "Registrant") on the Nasdaq National Market on October 2, 1996.

                           --------------------------

         This Registration  Statement shall become effective  automatically upon
the date of filing in  accordance  with  Section 8(a) of the  Securities  Act of
1933, as amended, and 17 C.F.R. ss. 230.462.

                           --------------------------

         This Registration  Statement  registers shares to be issued pursuant to
the Plan in addition to shares which were previously registered by the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Commission File No. 33-91836) filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  ("Commission") on May 2, 1995. The contents
of the prior Form S-8 are incorporated by reference.

                                        2
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8.  Exhibits

         The following  exhibits are filed with this  Registration  Statement on
Form S-8 (numbering corresponds to Exhibit Table in Item 601 of Regulation S-K):

         No.      Exhibit                                                  Page

         4        Specimen Common Stock Certificate.                        *

         23       Consent of Edmondson, LedBetter & Ballard, L.L.P.         E-1

         24       Power of attorney for any subsequent amendments
                  (located in the signature pages of this Registration
                  Statement).                                               --

         99       Life Savings Bank, FSB Employees' Savings & Profit
                  Sharing Plan                                              *

----------------

*      Incorporated  by reference from the Company's  Registration  Statement on
Form S-8  (Commission  File No.  33-91836)  filed with the  Commission on May 2,
1995.
                                        3
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in the City of Norfolk, Commonwealth of Virginia, on this 8th day of
October, 1996.

                                       LIFE BANCORP, INC.

                                       By:  /s/ Edward E. Cunningham
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Edward E. Cunningham, Chairman of the
                                           Board, President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Edward E. Cunningham his or her true and
lawful  attorney,  with full power to sign for such person and in such  person's
name and capacity  indicated  below, and with full power of substitution any and
all amendments to this Registration  Statement,  hereby ratifying and confirming
such  person's  signature  as it may be signed by said  attorney  to any and all
amendments.

 /s/ Edward E. Cunningham                                        October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Edward E. Cunningham
Chairman of the Board, President
and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)

 /s/ Emory J. Dunning, Jr.                                       October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Emory J. Dunning, Jr.
Senior Vice President, Treasurer
and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

 /s/ Joseph C. Addington, Jr.                                    October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Joseph C. Addington, Jr.
Director

 /s/ Charles M. Earley, Jr., M.D.                                October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Charles M. Earley, Jr., M.D.
Director

 /s/ William J. Fanney                                           October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
William J. Fanney
Director
/s/ E. Saunders Early, Jr.                                      October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
E. Saunders Early, Jr.
Director

 /s/ Donald I. Fentress                                          October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Donald I. Fentress
Director

 /s/ William J. Jonak, Jr.                                       October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
William J. Jonak, Jr.
Director

 /s/ Frederick V. Martin                                         October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Frederick V. Martin
Director

 /s/ Tollie W. Rich, Jr.                                         October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Tollie W. Rich, Jr.
Executive Vice President, Chief
Operating Officer and Director

 /s/ Braden Vandeventer                                          October 8, 1996
----------------------------------------
Braden Vandeventer
Director

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the trustee
who  administers  the employee  benefit  plan has duly caused this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Norfolk,  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  on October 8,
1996.

                                       LIFE SAVINGS BANK, FSB
                                       EMPLOYEES' SAVINGS & PROFIT
                                       SHARING PLAN

                                       LIFE SAVINGS BANK, FSB TRUSTEE

                                       By: /s/ Edward E. Cunningham
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Edward E. Cunningham, Chairman of the
                                           Board, President and Chief Executive
                                           Officer