Ecumenical Patriarch’s historical visit to Croatia
Church of Serbia – September 2016
A symposium on New Martyrs to be held in Zagreb. – The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in Jasenovac. – Consecration of Bishop’s Palace in Pakrac.
His All-Holliness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is going to pay a visit to Zagreb on September 9th, 2016, where he is going to open the Scientific Conference under the theme „New Martyrs: Polyperspective II“, which is going to be held at the Serbian Orthodox Grammar School „Katarina Kantakuzina Brankovic“. During the symposium the most eminent experts for the issues of sufferings of people in XX century will participate: Efraim Zuroff, Director of the „Simon Wiesenthal Center“ in Jerusalem; Ruta Vaganaite from Lithuania, author of the bestseller „Our People“; protopresbyter Aleksander Mazirin from Russia, historians, sociologists, theologians and other experts form Poland, Russia, Republic of Srpska, Romania, Croatia, Israel and Serbia. The working part of the conference will be chaired by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Slavonia.
Conveying the greetings of the Ecumenical Patriarch and words of his paternal care and support, His Eminence Metropolitan Dr. Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana stated that His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was informed very well about the situation in Croatia and therefore for the Orthodox Serbs it would represent a great joy that they might host the leading peersonality in the Orthodoxy, and for the first time in history so far.
It is planned that the same day His All-Holiness Bartholomew with hierarchs and the participants of the conference would visit an area where the death camp Jasenovac used to be and attend the Vesper service in the church of Saint Prophet Elijah at Mlaka village.
On Saturday, September 10th, 2016 His All-Holiness Ecuemnical Patriarch and His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej are going to officiate – on the ocassion of the 75th Anniversary of the suffering of the Holy martyrs of Jasenovac – the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, with the concelebration of many hierarchs and representatives of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Polish Orthodox Church and the Romanian Orthodox Church, in the church of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist in Jasenovac. The same day at 1 p.m, His All-Holiness will perform the rite of blessing of the renovated Bishop’s Palace in Pakrac, residence city of the Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Slavonia.
