Branko Dobrosavljević

Branko Dobrosavljević (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранко Добросављевић; 4 January 1886 — 7 May 1941) was a Serbian Orthodox priest who was killed by Ustaše in the Blagaj massacre during the Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia.[1][2]

Saint Branko
Holy hieromartyr
BornBranko Dobrosavljević
(1886-01-04)4 January 1886
Vojnić, Austria-Hungary
Died7 May 1941(1941-05-07) (aged 55)
Blagaj, Independent State of Croatia
Venerated inEastern Orthodox Church
Feast7 May (O.S. 24 April)

Biography

Branko Dobrosavljević was born in the village of Skrad, near Vojnić on 4 January 1886. He completed his high school education as well as the School of Theology at the Seminary in Sremski Karlovci in 1908. He married before he was ordained deacon on 15 March and elevated to presbyter on 22 March 1909. He performed his duties in the villages of Buhača, Radovica and Veljun. Branko received the Order of Saint Sava and Order of the Yugoslav Crown of the Fifth Degree for his services to his people. On the Feast of St. George, 6 May 1942, the very day of his own Slava Branko was arrested by the Ustaše, headed by Ivan Sajfor from Veljun.[3]

More than 500 Serbs were arrested that day and brought to Otočac,[4] among them was parish priest of Cvijanović Brdo Dimitrije Škorupan and Branko Dobrosavljević's own son Nebojša. At first, they were imprisoned in a police station in Veljun, and next day (May 7) they were taken away and killed in the woods called "Kestenovac", near Blagaj. The Ustaše forced priest Branko to perform the service for the repose of the soul of the dead to his own son Branko, who was alive at the time.[5][6]

In 1946 priest Branko's martyr relics and the remains of the other killed Serbs were transported to a common grave in Veljun. At the regular session of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, priest Branko Dobrosavljević was canonized and his name was entered into the List of Names of the Serbian Church Saints.[7]

He is celebrated on April 24 (Julian Calendar).

See also

References
  1. "Protodeacon Vladimir Vasilik. The Role of the Roman Catholic Church in the Genocide of Serbs on the Territory of the "Independent State of Croatia"". OrthoChristian.Com. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  2. Perica, Vjekoslav (2002-07-11). Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198033899.
  3. Deschner, Karlheinz (2013-10-08). God and the Fascists: The Vatican Alliance with Mussolini, Franco, Hitler, and Pavelic. Prometheus Books. ISBN 9781616148386.
  4. Rivelli, Marco Aurelio (1998). Le Genocide Occulte (in French). L'AGE D'HOMME. ISBN 9782825111529.
  5. Falconi, Carlo (1970). The silence of Pius XII. Little, Brown. Branko Dobrosavljević -wikipedia.
  6. Fumich, Sergio (July 2012). Le mani sulle foibe (in Italian). Lulu.com. ISBN 9781471785443.
  7. Perica, Vjekoslav (2002-07-11). Balkan Idols: Religion and Nationalism in Yugoslav States. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198033899.
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