Page 755 - Kosovo Metohija Heritage

“You know that i am seriously ill and for a year now i havenotleftmyroom,ispendmostofmytimelyinginmy bed. i was thus lying in my bed on May 3 of that year when at approximately 5:00 p.m. six people i did not know broke into my room: one was wearing a military uniform with a Titovka [narrow cap worn by high officers of the Yugoslav army] on his head, the others were in civilian clothing, and one was wearing a blue uniform. The one in the military uniform and one in civilian clothing without a hat stayed with me, and the others went out.
The one in civilian clothing sat in front of me and cracked eggs, of which there were about 100 in two baskets. Then he threw both baskets with the eggs at me, he threw a plate with food in it at me. Then the one in the uniform climbed on top of me, stood on my chest and began to choke me; the bed broke from the weight and i fell through. Then he ordered me to get up on the part of the bed that had not fallen through; when i sat up, the one in civilian clothing removed the petroleum lamp and emptied it on me, want- ingtosetmeonfirebuthedidnothaveamatch.Thenhe emptied a jug of water on me.
Then the one in the military uniform kicked me all over my body, while the one in the civilian clothes hit me with a stick on the head, the face, everywhere. The one in the mil- itary uniform said to me, ’You read the Holy Scripture, give sermons and lie to women, and they bring you eggs: since you are sick, why don’t you leave from here?’ i answered that without the orders of my authorities i was not allowed to leave from here. Then they continued to beat me until i fell unconscious, and only an hour later a servant came from Binča and neighbor Raša and Milena Petrović.
as he was leaving, the one in the military uniform said to me, ’Get lost from here within 24 hours or we will throw you out the window.’
Heavily beaten, i was forced to leave the monastery, turning over the keys to the bishop’s deputy. What was do- ne after, i do not know. i went to the hospital and after 23 days the doctor released me, still unhealed, with broken ribs, for home treatment.
With great fear and horror i was forced to return to Binča to take my identity papers, and if i survived this, to go somewhere else to live the rest of my life. after every- thing that was done to me here, i cannot live in this mon- astery in eternal fear for my life. Hence, i would like to ask you to most urgently chose a monastery where i can re- ceive decent support and care. in Your Grace’s diocese only Dečani is able to do this. if you cannot place me in Dečani, then please ask the bishop of Šumadija to receive and house me, in a monastery able to support me, of course, because i was born in Šumadija in arandjelovac. if Your Grace does not resolve the issue of my residence favorably in the near- est future, i will be forced to take my own life or to ask the Marshall to hide me somewhere. i am deeply convinced that Your Grace will not allow these things to befall me, a sufferer for the faith and a priest-monk for 37 years but that
Your Grace will urgently find a solution where i can de- centlylivethelittlelifeihaveleftafterbeingbeaten.”
in presenting the above, it is my honor to request that the Holy Synod of Bishops intercede with the State Com- mission for Religious affairs of the Presidency of the Gov- ernment of NR Serbia so that this serious and impermis- sible act against an old and sick priest be investigated, those guilty found and exemplarily punished in accordance with the law, as well as that similar cases be prohibited and pre- vented from occurring.
We have also informed the Commission for Religious affairs of the Government of NR Serbia of this matter.”44
By another act, No 590 from March 19/6, 1952, the Bish- op said that he received the following report from the par- ish priest of Uroševac under No 27 from March 12, 1952: “in the year 1935 a church was built in the village of Duganjevo near Uroševac. The church was built by local residents of the village with the financial assistance of the city of Uro- ševac, the area and abroad. Our emigrants from the USa sent forty thousand dinars at that time for the construction of the church. The church was built right in the cemetery and served for a time as the chapel. The interior of the church is completely finished, there are beautiful frescos; the only thing necessary is to consecrate it.
On March 9, 1952 the People’s Front of the village de- cided to destroy the church and use the material to build a culture hall. The destruction of the church began today.”
Under No 28 from March 17, 1952, the same parish priest sent us the following addendum to the above report:
“in connection with my report of March 12, 1952, No 27 i would like to subsequently advise you that the church in the village of Duganjevo was completely destroyed using explosives on March 13, 1952. The material from the church is being transferred to the town square of the Peasant’s Work Cooperative.
i am presenting this to you for your information and further action.
in forwarding the above, it is our honor to inform the Holy Synod of Bishops that the local parish priest inter- vened regarding this matter with the Local, District and Regional People’s Councils in Priština in order to stop the destruction of the newly built church but all was in vain and the church was completely destroyed.”
The State Commission for Religious affairs of the Pres- idency of the Government of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia sent the Holy Synod of Bishops an act, No 169 from august 1, 1952, of the following content:
“In response to your act No 816/zap. 195 from April 1, 1952, we wish to inform you that we have checked and de- termined that nothing was done in the village of Duganje- vo that would harm the religious sentiments of the local Orthodox population. it is true that a building was de- stroyed there but it was not a church. in 1935 the local resi-
44 AHSB, Syn No 74/1952.
The Suffering and Persecution in Kosovo and Metohija from 1945 to 2005
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