YUGOSLAVIA: Orthodox Ragout

Bearded priests and bishops, wearing the ornate robes of the Orthodox Church, shuffled down the steps of Belgrade’s Cathedral one night last week. They had just prayed for the health of the Serbian Orthodox Patriarch, His Holiness Varnava, slowly sinking from an attack of blood poisoning. Some angry Serbs muttered it was “political poisoning.”

Real purpose of the service was to protest against the Government’s intention to ratify a Concordat with the Vatican, placing the Catholic Church in Yugoslavia on equality with the entrenched Orthodox Church. The congregation of 5,000, largely women and girls, closed in behind the procession, sang hymns and prayed, as it moved through the streets to the Church of St. Sava. Reaching the centre of Belgrade, they faced double ranks of gendarmes, who charged on the congregation. Women fled in terror. The police cracked down with rifle butt and truncheon on the chanting priests. Hoary old Bishop Simeon of Shabatz lifted a heavy silver cross to protect himself and down came a rifle butt, smashing the cross against his head. Blood pouring from his face, he was carried off suffering a brain concussion. Sacred emblems were snatched from priests’ hands, banners torn to shreds before the procession scattered.

Prince Paul, the Regent of Yugoslavia, virtually hid himself in Slovenia last week until Premier Milan Stoyadinovich, an Orthodox, and Minister of Interior Father Anton Koroshetz, a Roman Catholic priest, should have succeeded or failed to jam the Concordat through the Skupshtina (Lower House). Sick deputies were brought in—even on stretchers—to vote and the Cabinet finally won 162-10-124.

Few hours later Serbia’s beloved Patriarch expired. In no mood to wait until next autumn, when the Concordat goes for ratification to the Senate. Orthodox zealots attacked two Skupshtina members who had voted for ratification. Police rescued them but their clothes were in shreds.

The Orthodox Synod proceeded to excommunicate temporarily almost every Orthodox member of the Cabinet this week, including Premier Stoyadinovich, whom it denied the ministrations of the Church, and implied that Regent Paul might have been excommunicated had he not so carefully stood aloof. Cautiously the Regent returned from Slovenia, hastened to the Cathedral, kissed the ikon upon the bier of the Patriarch, fervently prayed and was besought to “Dismiss Stoyadinovich!”