Ecumenical dialogue in Vukovar: a prayer for peace and reconciliation

Ecumenical dialogue in Vukovar: a prayer for peace and reconciliation

In the Croatian city of Vukovar, which was often known as the "small lost city", which was almost completely destroyed in the course of the war in the 1990s, Catholic and Serbian Orthodox church representatives met a significant dialogue this week. Archbishop Djuro Hranic by Djakovo/Osijek and Bishop HERUVIM (Djermanovic) chose a symbolic place to talk about the common challenges in their dioceses, such as the decline in believers and the need for an authentic Christian life. This exchange took place in the Serbian Orthodox parish and on a memorial for the victims of war, where the two bishops prayed together, as the information agency IKA reported.

the recalled past

The dialogue took place against the background of the Victorian memories of Vukovar's painful history, which is still characterized by enormous wounds after the “Massaker von Vukovar”. This city, which fell under a provisional UN administration after the end of the war and then became Croatian again, reflects the complex structure of Croatian society. Against this background, there are always tensions regarding the rights of the Serbian minority, which was shown in a census in 2011 with more than 35 percent in Vukovar. This has led to violent protests, including in 2013 against the attachment of Cyrillic signs, such as bpb.de reported.

The Catholic Church, represented by Archbishop Hranic and the Serbian Orthodox Church, showed that the path goes through common prayers and dialogues of the administration of both beliefs, emphasizing the need for unity despite the historical divisions. On the Franciscan monastery, where she spoke another prayer for the souls of those who died during the war, both faith communities conquered a room to deal with the past more relaxed.