In a sermon during the mass in the Sarajevo Cathedral on Saturday, Vrhbosna Cardinal Vinko Puljic pointed out that the victims of Bleiburg and all victims of hatred cannot be spoken of without “special tremors of the heart” and that this is the main reason why he agreed to lead the Mass on the anniversary of 75 years of suffering in Bleiburg.
Prayer, the cardinal said, should be freed from all the bitter feelings and human charges that arise in remembering these sufferings, Avaz news portal reports.
“Prayer is the most sacred act, an act of respect, remembrance of them, the price of freedom that we build,” stated Cardinal Puljic and added that this is how the evaluation of living is renewed. Cardinal Puljic said that the fate of peace was largely entrusted, not only to official state institutions. Human justice must prosecute crimes – said the cardinal, but also added that justice stands far from any blind urge for revenge and is guided by the common good.
“We owe equal respect to every victim,” – said the bishops and added that “liquidations without a court are always a grave crime before God and people.
The Archbishop of Vrhbosna reminded that he was born in the time of Bleiburg, that all these years, as he said, the graves of the victims were not discovered, that they died without trial, “by the arbitrariness of those who boiled without hatred”. That is why yesterday he prayed for the victims of the Bleiburg field of Jasenovac, Glina, Srijemska Mitrovica, Dravograd, Sarajevo, Foca, Siroki Brijeg …
“When the silence will rise from these graves depends on today’s authorities,” said Cardinal Puljic.He added that a climate of coexistence, forgiveness, trust and reconciliation should be created here and today.
