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I will not leave Croatia and I will not leave it, said the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirio by HRT, in the first interview for Croatian media after the enthronement, in which he said, among other things, that he believes that politicians who They run Croatia today they do everything possible to ensure that all their citizens, including Croatian Serbs, exercise their rights. He also reveals that “there are letters in his hands” that Stepinac sent to Pope Pius XII and in which “deeply troubled” places can actually be found.
“To overcome prejudices, it is important to understand each other. To understand each other, we need to know each other, and to know each other, we must have communication, we must have a relationship. So, I feel my stay and my life in Croatia, which I will not and will not leave, as a debt, first to God and then to the people living in Croatia. “In that sense, first of all to the Orthodox Serbs, and then also to the Croats, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, with whom I shared experiences of both good and good. wrong, and a lot of people who really have nothing to do with any religion. ”Porfirio told HRT.
Porfirio, who fulfilled his duty as the Zagreb-Ljubljana metropolitan, said he experienced Croatia’s departure with some sadness and noted that until further notice, until a new metropolitan is appointed, he will cover both Zagreb and Ljubljana.
“That is why I jokingly say that I am the patriarch of Belgrade, Zagreb and Ljubljana, Serbs, Croats and Slovenes,” he added.
Asked about Patriarch Irinej and his views on the canonization of Cardinal Mantenimientozije Stepinac, whom he described as an “Ustasha vicar”, Porphyry said that Irinej only expressed doubts about Stepinac’s canonization and that a commission was formed, not just how expression of Decision of Pope Francis., But as a product of an agreement between Irenaeus and Pope Francis.
“We had a fruitful job on that commission. “Unfortunately, each side remained in their positions,” Porphyry said.
He added that he had in his hands letters that Stepinac sent to Pope Pius XII and in which places that were “deeply problematic” could be found.
“That does not mean that he did not live a difficult time and that he can be seen in black and white, but in any case, the work of that commission was very fruitful. “We are talking about an issue right now that is important to the Catholic Church, and that is a problem for us, very openly, very fraternally, without a high tone, and I have the impression that everyone knows better the reasons for the other side.” “said Porfirie.
“Criminals do not belong to any nation”
Porfirio also said that Jasenovac, but also any other place that has such character, must free itself from any kind of politicization.
“Unfortunately, we are faced with the fact that this is not the case.” The politicization of such places is the abuse of those who once innocently lost their lives, and that politicization is aimed at the benefit of only small groups and individuals. ” Porphyry said.
He added that criminals in Jasenovac and wherever such crimes were committed were eliminated from all nations.
“These people do not belong to any nation,” he added.
On Montenegro: the Church had no political aims or intentions
When asked about the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in political events in Montenegro, Porfirio said that the church had no political goals or intentions, regardless of whether political consequences can be reported for the then government and current president Milo Djukanovic.
“By the time the red line was reached and the state passed laws that should take away everything the church has acquired for centuries, there was no other solution than to raise the voice of the church against such a decision. But that voice of the church rose up and turned to lithium. “Both the political problems and the political turmoil that existed there were completely eliminated and turned into a prayer procession that ultimately resulted in a law that absolutely recognizes church property,” Porphyry said, expressing hope that the law it was even better.
