The Serbian Orthodox Church Attacked in Sisak

July 6, 2016. After numerous cases of trespass into the property, insults, numerous kinds of verbal terror and threats to the the Sisak priest father Veselin Ristić and members of his family, in the night between July 4 and 5 2016 unknown perpetrators, with the use of force, broke into the church of Saint Parascheva in Sisak (Croatia) and caused great damage to the property. By breaking windows vandals entered into the church, destroyed and scattered liturgical vessels and other ceremonial instruments. Afterwards they climbed up the balcony of the parish home, broke balcony door, devastated sleeping and dining room, whereas in the office of the Church Municipality they scattered archives and destroyed cash register. The fact that the pereptrators knew that the priest’s family would not be in Sisak that night is a proof of the well prepared and realized intention to threat to the Serbian Orthodox Church openly, its clergy and believers both in Sisak and Croatia, as reports the Office of the Metropolis of Zagreb and Ljubljana on the website of Serbian Orthodox Church.

If the Sisak police authorities, who were reported every previous case of threat, insult and verbal violence, do not find perpetrators this time as well, we are wondering what is next? What kind of terror should the Serbian Orthodox Church, its churches and priests be exposed to in order to get legal protection? For that reason, the Metropolis of Zagreb and Ljubljana expects brotherly and Christian help of the Catholic Church in Sisak, although this and all similar cases will be reported to the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church and other relevant domestic and international personalities and institutions.

The church of Saint Parascheva in Sisak was built in 1895. Ustashas burned it in the Second World War, and during the 1991-1993 war the church and parish home were broken into, robbed and mined. The Church Municipality in Sisak has got two buildings. The parish home is situated in the F. Lovrića Street, whereas the second building is made of the church and the office of the Church Municipality, which was rebuilt and consecrated on 12 April 2009, on the feast of Cveti (Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem).

Photo documents from the Office of the Metropolis of Zagreb and Ljubljana on the website of Serbian Orthodox Church.