WILL STEPINAC BE A SAINT: The decision will be made about this great question today in Zagreb

Members of the Joint Committee of Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and the Roman Catholic church began meeting today in Zagreb to discuss about controversial role of Croatian Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac in the Independent State of Croatia (NDH).

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The first theme of the two-day talks will be the attitude of the Vatican and Alojzije Stepinac to the NDH, reports"Vecernje Novosti".

Roman Catholic Church will be represented by Cardinal Josip Bozanic, Commission will also be consisted by bishops of Mostar Ratko Peric and Antun Skvorcevic, and historians Mario Jarek and Jure Kristo.

On behalf of the SPC  Metropolitan Porfirije, Bishops Jovan and Irinej, and Metropolitan of Montenegro Amfilohije and the professor Darko Tanaskovic.

They will give arguments of more Serbian historians and researchers of WWII and NDH.

Alojzije Stepinac. Foto: Profimedia/Zuma Press - Archives

Zagreb meeting of this professional assembly, formed at the initiative of the head of the Roman Catholic Pope Francis, with a mission to shed light on the historical role of Cardinal Stepinac from the time of the Ustasha's creation NDH, will be the first to have a working character.

In the following series of talks, which will be held alternately in Belgrade and Zagreb, the Joint Committee of two churches will discuss Stepinac's relationship with the Orthodox Church and the Serbian people.

They told from SPC that its delegation will expose historical arguments about Stepinac's role in the creation of NDH, mass crimes, Christianization of Orthodox population and connections with the head of NDH Ante Pavelic and the top of the Ustasha movement.

Alojzije Stepinac. Foto: Profimedia/AKG

Vatican sources say that the work of the Commission will last at least a year, but it is not excluded that for various reasons the conclusion of work will be prolonged. The newspaper says that the Vatican is in no hurry and it does not matter whether the final decision on the canonization will be made by Pope Francis or some other future pope. The general attitude is that most disagreements will be about the biography of Alojzije Stepinac in connection with the 1941 year and the creation of NDH.

The final word on the conclusions will be given a Pope. As the Journal said at the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis will certainly not make a decision on the canonization of controversial Croatian Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac before the completion of the work of the Joint Commission, regardless of the circumstances that may occur.

(Telegraf.co.uk /Srna)