Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia Meet in Zagreb

Over the weekend the Hierarchical Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia met under the presidency of Metropolitan Jovan of Zagreb to discuss issues in the pastoral life and work of the Church. Particularly noteworthy amongst the issues facing the Orthodox Church in Croatia are those dating to the civil war following the collapse of Yugoslavia, which have left the homes of many of the faithful together with many parish churches damaged to this day. More (in Serbian) here.

Patriarch Irinej Receives Representatives of Serb Refugees from Croatia

Representatives of associations representing Serb refugees from Croatia have visited the seat of the Pech Patriarchate in Belgrade to bring their concerns to the attention of Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilovich) of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Since the end of the conflict between Croatia and its Serb minority in the 1990s the Croatian government has failed to restore the property of its Serb citizens, identify the remains in unmarked graves across the country, or to establish an impartial system of courts to try those involved in war crimes during the period. More here.

Ustashe Victims Commemorated in Jadovno

Bishop Gerasim (Popovic) of Gornyo-Karlovac earlier today celebrated the Divine Liturgy and a memorial on the site of the Jadovno concentration camp in western Croatia, where during World War II the Croatian Ustashe killed roughly 38,000 Serbs and 2,000 Jews. The services were attended by pilgrims from throughout Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia, many of whom had relatives who died in the Jadovno camp. More (in Serbian) here.

"Shades of Grey: The Record of Archbishop Stepinac"

An excellent survey on why many have reservations over the veneration of Roman Catholic Archbishop Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac of Zagreb can be found here. Yes, the biases and past political associations of the author, Srdja Trifkovic, are well known. They do not, however, change Cardinal Stepinac's words or actions, and the article is therefore worth a read.

Roman Catholic Pope Visits Stepinac's Grave in Croatia

During his recent visited to Croatia Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church visited the grave of beatified Archbishop Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac of Zagreb, accused of collusion with the pro-Nazi Ustashe regime in its attempts to ethnically cleanse Croatia of Serbs and Jews, and praised him as 'a defender of the Jews, the Orthodox and of all the persecuted.' More here.

St. Platon of Banja Luka

Christ is risen! Joyous feast! St. Platon was a clergyman and hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church who served in both pre-WWI Serbia and royal Yugoslavia, eventually being elected Bishop of Banja Luka in Bosnia.

When what today is Bosnia-Herzegovina was occupied by Ustashe Croatia during World War II St. Platon was ordered to leave his diocese. He refused, however, saying that he had bound himself "to take care of [his] spiritual flock permanently and firmly, regardless of any events." The day following St. Platon's reply he was arrested by the Ustashe, taken out of the city, tortured, and martyred, with his relics eventually being recovered from the Vrbanja River and being enshrined in Banja Luka's cathedral.

The Serbian Orthodox Church formally glorified St. Platon as a new hieromartyr in 1998. More on his life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

Serbian Orthodox Church in Dalmatia Protests Census Irregularities

The Eparchy of Shibenik and Dalmatia of the Serbian Orthodox Church has expressed its concern over the ongoing census in Croatia, saying that it has reports of Serbian Orthodox Christians in Dalmatia being registered as Uniates against their will. More here.

Croatia Begins National Census

Croatia began a national census yesterday, one that should be more accurate than its 2001 census due to the roughly proportional representation of Serbs (formerly a significant minority in Croatia's regions of Slavonia and Dalmatia) among the census takers. More here.

Serbian Outreach to Diaspora Not Interference in Neighbors' Internal Affairs

Responding to protests from Serbia's neighbors in the Balkans, Serbian President Boris Tadic has stated that his government's efforts to more closely connect the Serb Diaspora with Serbia is not intended to interfere in the internal issues of Serbia's neighbor states as Serbia does not consider the Serbs there as living in diaspora and leaves to them the workings of their local and national governments. More here.