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"Make haste to help me, O Lord,
my salvation!"
(Psalm 38:22)
The
Diocese of Upper Karlovac comprises the most western Serbian territories:
Banija, Kordun, Lika, Krbava, Gorski Kotar, as well as northern Croatia and
Istria. It was named after the town of Karlovac, where its See is located.
These territories have been settled by Serbians ever since the 15th century,
and more intensely in the first decades of the 16th century. The main
settlements were Zumberak and Bela Krajina, and then the areas near Gomirje
and Gorski Kotar. During Turkish rule in central Lika (1528–1699), the
Serbians moved to cragged, rugged land of Lika from Dalmatia, while Serbians
from Bosnia settled mostly in Krbava. Many of them migrated from there to
Austrian-held territories, i.e., to the area of the Vojna Krajina (Military "Buffer"
Zone).
During the 16th
century, the spiritual life of Orthodox Serbians of this area was guided by
the metropolitans of Dabar-Bosnia. The See of this Metropolitanate was at one
time in Monastery Rmanj, at the tri-juncture of Bosnia-Dalmatia-Lika. When
parts of Lika, Banija and Krbava, which had been to this time under Turkish
rule, were liberated at the end of the 17th century, a separate Diocese of
Karlovac-Zrinopolje was established (1695). The first Bishop of the Diocese
was a refugee from Bosnia, Metropolitan of Dabar-Bosnia Atanasije Ljubojevic
(1696–1712).
In 1713, the Diocese of
Karlovac-Zrinopolje was divided into two: the Diocese of
Karlovac-Senj-Coastlands and the Diocese of Kostajnica-Zrinopolje. Danilo Ljubotina,
Bishop of the former, founded his Episcopal Residence in Plaski. During the
18th century, the areas under Austrian rule were administered by the Bishops
of Marca.
Roman Catholic
proselytism and forced conversion to the Uniate Church (recognizing the
authority of the Roman Pontiff) were a constant danger for Orthodox Serbians
within the borders of the Diocese of Karlovac. Proof of that religious
aggressiveness is the fate of the Serbian people in Zumberak, forcibly
subjected to the Uniate Church in the 17th and 18th centuries. In that
disparate struggle between the Roman Catholic Church, supported by the
Austrian Court and Army, the loss of Zumberak was inevitable. Moreover, the
military authorities, under the advice of the Roman Catholic clergy, expelled
Orthodox priests, denying the Orthodox Bishop access to these regions. In
order to preserve the Serbians in the faith of their fathers and the spirit
of Saint Sava, Bishop Pavle Nenadovic (1744–1749), later Metropolitan of
Karlovci, founded a "Central School" in Plaski for the educating of
young seminarians. Also through the efforts of this eminent Bishop a similar
school was established in Zaluznice, near Vrhovina. Bishop Danilo Jaksic
(1751–1771), a Hierarch of great pastoral devoutness and holy life, also
worked hard for the enlightenment of Serbian youth. Thanks to his zeal, a
school in Metka was opened.
In the historic line of
the Bishops of Karlovac the following are mentioned: Atanasije Ljubojevic
(1688–1712), Danilo Ljubotina (1713–1739), Pavle Nenadovic (1744–1749),
Danilo Jaksic (1751–1771), Josif Stojanovic (1771–1774), Petar Petrovic
(17714–1784), Jovan Jovanovic (1784–1786), Genadije Dimovic (1786–1796),
Stefan Avakumovic (1798–1801), Petar Petrovic Vidak (1801–1806), Mojsije
Miokovic (1807–1823), Lukijan Musicki (1828–1837), Evgenije Jovanovic
(1839–1854), Sergije Kacanski (1858–1859), Petar Jovanovic (1859–1864),
Lukijan Nikolajevic (1865–1872), Teofan Zivkovic (1874–1890), Mihailo Grujic
(1891–1914), Ilarion Zeremski (1920–1931), Maksimilijan Hajdin (1932–1936),
Sava Trlajic (1938–1941), Nikanor Ilicic (1947–1951) and Simeon Zlokovic
(1951–1990). The present Bishop of Upper Karlovac is Nikanor (Bogunovic).
In World War II, Bishop
Sava Trlajic of Upper Karlovac was martyred. The Bishop was arrested on 13
June, 1941, together with thirteen other prominent Serbians, among whom there
were also three Serbian priests. They were confined in a barn belonging to an
Ustasha camp-officer Tomljenovic, where they were tortured in various ways.
When they were being beaten, the church hymn "For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ…" (Gal 3:27a) was played on a record-player. From
there they were taken by freight-train to Gospic on 20 June. Bishop Sava was
allowed to say good-bye to his 83-year old mother, but with his hands tied
and legs fettered. In mid-August of 1941, Bishop Sava Trlajic was taken to
Mount Velebit, where he was, with numerous other Serbians, thrown into the
pit "Jadovno".
During World War II,
the Diocese of Upper Karlovac endured an unprecedented spiritual genocide:
116 Serbian churches were destroyed, and 39 heavily damaged; two chapels were
destroyed, along with 84 parish homes and other church buildings (53 being
dynamited and 31 set afire). Church libraries and archives suffered the same
fate: 154 archives were destroyed, 13 plundered. Out of 171 church and
monastery libraries, 154 were destroyed while 17 were pillaged.
This devastation of
Serbian holy sites on the territory of the Diocese of Upper Karlovac
continued even after the war. The places of worship which remained after the
war, in general damaged and demolished, were totally destroyed on the strict
order of "the People’s authority". Thus, the "People’s
Committee of the Municipality of Udbina" on 22 March, 1960, addressed an
official act to the Serbian Orthodox Church, i.e., the Diocese of Upper
Karlovac, stating among other things: "Our People’s Committee of the
Municipality, at its meeting of 14 July 1957, and on the basis of legal
sanctions, has passed a decision concerning the destruction of what is left
of the walls of buildings set afire during the war or demolished by other
means… In reference to this, and as on the territory of this Municipality
there are still a number of such walls of burnt down Orthodox churches
(Josan, Mekinjar, Svrackovo Selo, Mutilic, et. al.), we have addressed
ourselves personally to Your Diocese in Karlovac, with the demand that these
walls be finally, after 15 years since the end of the Second World War, be
removed, i.e., torn down. In the event that you do not undertake measures,
this People’s Committee will be forced to do so on its own, and to demolish
those walls at the expense of the above-addressee." This decision was
signed by Bogdan Korac.
The war of 1991–1995
added to this distress, thus continuing and confirming the continuity of the
spiritual genocide on Serbian ecclesiastial monuments within the boundaries
of the Diocese of Upper Karlovac. In the war from 1991 until 1993, five
Serbian churches were demolished, and 18 damaged on the territory of this
Diocese. Three parish homes were dynamited and seven damaged. Five cemeteries
were destroyed. The Cathedral Church of Saint Nicholas in Karlovac, built
during the period of 1785 to 1787, was dynamited by the Ustashas on Serbian
Orthodox Christmas in 1992. The church of Saint Spyridon in Petrinja, dating
from 1787, was destroyed by the Ustasha at the beginning of World War II; the
new church was finished only in 1976. In the present war, this church was
several times dynamited by Croatian nationalists, and finally on 12 August,
1991, razed to the ground. The Bishop’s Residence in Karlovac was shelled,
plundered and finally destroyed. Thus on Saturday, 25 December, 1993, on
Roman Catholic Christmas at 4:18 a.m., the See of the Diocese of Upper
Karlovac was blown up by explosives. Within the walls of the Residence the
Diocesan Museum Treasury, Archives and Library was located.
Following the Croatian
aggression on the Republic of Serbian Krajina, in August of 1995, the Serbian
population of this ancient Diocese was driven out (many being killed), and
their churches desecrated, damaged or destroyed. The 18th-century wooden
church in Buzeta, near Glina, a unique example of church architecture, was
burnt totally to the ground. On the territory of this Diocese, 11 churches
were destroyed, while 45 were damaged during the war period 1991–1995. Eight
parish homes and other churches buildings were also destroyed, while 14
suffered serious damage. Unfortunately, now that the Serbs have been expelled
from this region, many churches and other buildings remain abandoned and
exposed to the ravages of decay.
Karlovac
Cathedral Church of
Saint Nicholas – built between 1785–1787. Iconostasis painted by Arsa
Teodorovic and wall-frescoes by Dragutin Inkiostri Medenjak. Church served as
storehouse for objects looted from the Serbs and Jews (1991–1945). Church twice damaged: during
direct war operations in 1991, and by explosives outside the zone of conflict
on Christmas, 1992. "...We entered the remains of the church from the
south, because the narthex was demolished and the choir loft had collapsed,
blocking the west-side entrance. The altar apse was completely demolished,
falling towards the parapet of the iconostasis. The roof had fallen into the
nave; beneath the beam in the middle of the church one can see the great
chandelier; a part of the ceiling still remained... The inside walls lean
outward. They could fall at any time... Everything in the church was
demolished..." (Report of 2 September, 1992). Church completely razed in
1993.
Diocesan Residence
built in 1882 – housing a large collection of portraits of Bishops of the
Diocese of Gornji Karlovac. Diocesan Treasury: from 1985 housing many icons,
books and liturgical items, removed from Monasteries and Churches of the
Diocese during the Second World War by Ustashas, returned to the Serbian
Orthodox Church only in 1985. Diocesan Residence broken into, pillaged and
destroyed. "On 25 December, 1993, at 0410 hours, following Midnight Mass
on the occasion of Roman Catholic Christmas, a very strong explosion occurred
in the Bishop’s See. The Diocesan Center was destroyed."
Blatusa
Church of Saint
Nicholas – built in 1930, burglarized and interior demolished (Report MNo.
98/97, of 16 April 1997).
Blinja (Deanery of
Glina)
Church of Saint Elijah
– built in 1873, renovated in 1991. All windows in the Church shattered by
Ustasha shelling detonations October 1991. "The right side of the
entrance doors was destroyed." (Report by the Government of the Republic
of Croatia, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Zagreb, 1 April 1996)
Brdjani
Church of Saint George
– built in 1888. Completely razed by Ustashas in 1941. A small wooden church
erected in 1946. New church under construction. "In the 1991–1995 war
the plaster fell from the walls due to detonation, and the dome and roof of
the new church being built were damaged. The Parish Home was damaged by
detonations in the 1991–1995 war." (Report of 6 March 1993)
Brlog
Church of Saint Sava –
built in 1740. Under State protection as a Monument of cultural significance.
Inventory destroyed in 1995. (Report according to the monograph Ranjena crkva
u Hrvatskoj, Zagreb 1996, pg. 416) The entire interior damaged by fire.
(Report MNo. 69/97 of 14 March 1997)
Buvaca
Church of the Holy
Apostles Peter and Paul – built in 1800, damaged (1941–1945). Following World
War II church was repaired. "In 1991 the windows were broken and the
roof damaged by shells and detonations." (Report of 6 March 1993) Church
stands open and totally demolished, everything destroyed. Bell in place.
(Report MNo. 98/97 of 16 April 1997)
Buzeta
Church of Saint Elijah
the Prophet – built in 1740 of wood, oldest wooden church in Banija.
Renovation begun before the war (1991) but not completed. Icons from the
iconostasis dismantled for restoration but not removed. Church burnt down by
the Muslim army in August 1995. Icons, liturgical items, books incinerated.
Parish Home also burnt down by the Muslim army in August 1995.
Velika Popina
Church of Saint Elijah
– according to unverified reports destroyed (1991–1995).
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