Orthodox seat in Mostar revived
26/01/2011
After nearly two decades, Mostar is again the seat of the Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The seat was temporarily transferred to Trebinje in the beginning of the 1992-1995 conflict.
Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina announced the return earlier this month.
This revival of the Eparchy seat, according to Grigorije, is “a landmark moment for the Serb Orthodox Church”. He urged all resettled Serbs to return to the town and reconstruct their homes.
Until two decades ago, the Neretva River Valley area was home to both Serbs and Bosniaks. The 1991 census recorded about 24,000 Serbs living there. Today, there are around 5,000.
“There are over 100 recorded applications for house reconstruction, and only about ten per year receive the necessary funding. There is often a problem with allocation of funds and with prioritising. There are many of those who are dissatisfied, but even those who have already returned are having a hard time getting steady jobs,” said Zitomislic Monastery prior Danilo Pavlovic.
Still, Serbs see the increased presence of the Orthodox Church as an encouraging sign.
“When I arrived in Mostar, I was slightly shocked at the delightfulness of this diversity, where church bells resound and ezan (the Muslim prayer) can be heard from minarets,” said Grigorije, who became head of the Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina in 1999.
Mostar Mayor Ljubo Beslic said the bishop’s transfer back is important not only for the church, but for the peaceful co-existence of Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks in the multicultural city. Before the seat could return, however, major preparations were required.
They “began with the reconstruction of the Zitomislic Monastery and with the return of the Orthodox priests to the Neretva Valley. First and foremost, this return means the establishment of a broken continuity,” Grigorije said.
In addition, the Orthodox Congregational Church of Holy Trinity began undergoing reconstruction in March 2010. The church was destroyed in the conflict. The effort is being financed by the eparchy itself and by the Serb Orthodox Church.
The original Congregational Church of Holy Trinity was built in 1862-1873. The funds for its construction were donated by Serbs in Mostar and the neighbouring areas.
Since the 19th century, Mostar has hosted the seat of the Orthodox metropolitans of Herzegovina, and its episcopes have had seats in the major centers or cities.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
