The leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church has sent a letter to the Vatican which may contain a protest against the Vatican’s plan to canonize Alojzije Stepinac. Stepinac, a Croatian Catholic cardinal, was convicted after World War II of collaborating with the fascist Independent State of Croatia.

Serbian Church sends letter to Vatican

SOURCE: POLITIKA, TANJUG

BELGRADE — A letter explaining the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) regarding the canonization of Alojzije Stepinac was recently handed to a Vatican official.

The daily Politika writes that the letter was given to Secretary of the Holy See for Relations with States Dominique Mamberti, who has been on a visit to Serbia.

The content of the message, however, remains unknown, but the newspaper noted that the SPC “undoubtedly does not view favorably announcements that Stepinac could become a saint.”

Mamberti will also take with him to the Vatican another letter dedicated to the same subject, sent by the Serbian president.

In an interview for Politika published in Sunday, SPC Patriarch Irinej said the announcements from the Vatican that Stepinac could be canonized by the end of the year came as “a great surprise” for the Serbian Orthodox dignitaries – “because in order for someone to be a saint, they must be a truly shining and holy personality and be accepted as such by other Christians.”

Read the full story here.

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