Croatia–Holy See relations

Croatia–Holy See relations

Croatia	Holy See
Diplomatic Mission
Croatian embassy in Rome	Holy See nunciature in Zagreb
Envoy
Neven Pelicarić	Alessandro D'Errico

Croatia–Holy See relations refer to the bilateral relationship between Croatia and the Holy See. Diplomatic relations among two countries were established on February 8, 1992 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia, although they date far back in history. Croatia has an embassy in Rome, and the Holy See has an nunciature in Zagreb.

According to the 2011 census, 86.28% of Croatia's 4,4 million people declared themselves Roman Catholics. However, views on actual church dogma both on social and spiritual matters, varies significantly, with the weekly mass attendance being only 17.3%.

Pope Alexander III was the first pope to visit Croatian territories (1177), while Pope John Paul II was the first pope to visit the Republic of Croatia (1994).

History

Early ages

According to the work De Administrando Imperio written by the 10th-century Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII, the Croats had arrived in what is today Croatia in the early 7th century AD, however that claim is disputed and competing hypotheses date the event between the 6th and the 9th centuries. According to the Constantine VII Christianization of Croats began in the 7th century, but the claim is disputed and is generally associated with the 9th century. Croats had first contact with the Holy See in year 641 when the papal envoy abbot Martin came to them in order to redeem Christian captives and the bones of the martyrs that Croats were keeping, as well as to evangelize the Croats, and to turn them from paganism.

Agreement with Pope Agatho

According to emporer Constantine, Croats made an agreement with Pope Agatho (678-681) in which they obligated not to attack neighboring nations or lead any conquest wars, while the Pope promised them that they would be protected by the God and Saint Peter in return. Since emporer Constantine did not mention Pope's name, historians have different opinions about the agreement. Some, like Franjo Rački, Nada Klaić, and Tadija Smičiklas, consider it to be fake, while others, like Ferdo Šišić, believe that it's legitimate mostly due to style of writing which matches with the one of the Roman Curia. Šišić believes that this event took place in the 9th century during the reign of Duke Branimir. According to other sources, the Pope addressed Slavs as the converted people so Stjepan Krizin Sakač concludes that Croats indeed made an agreement with Pope Agatho in year 679.

Duke Branimir and Pope John VIII

In year 879 Croatian duke Branimir wrote a letter to Pope John VIII in which he promised him loyalty and obedience. Pope John VIII replied with a letter on June 7, 879 in which he wrote that he celebrated a Mass at the tomb of St. Peter on which he invoked God's blessing on Branimir and his (Croatian) people. In year 925 Croatian King Tomislav was corresponding with Pope John X on the occasion of the first Church Council of Split. Pope's letter to the King Tomislav is the first international document in which a Croatian ruler was called rex (king) so that is why Tomislav is considered to be the first Croatian king.

Middle ages

See also: Antemurale Christianitatis

When Croatia lost its own dynasty and entered into a personal union with Hungary in 1102, focus of the Croatian state thought switched to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over time, Bosnian rulers of the Croatian blood rose Banate of Bosnia to the rank of Kingdom with the help of the Holy See. During the Croatian–Ottoman Wars that lasted from 15th to 19th century Croats strongly fought against the Turks which resulted in the fact that the westernmost border of the Ottoman Empire and Europe became entrenched on the soil of the Croatian Kingdom. In 1519, Croatia was called the Antemurale Christianitatis by Pope Leo X.

On March 13, 1177, Pope Alexander III became the first Pope to visit Croatian territories. Pope Alexander visited Palagruža, Vis, Zadar and Rab. He entered Zadar on a white horse, and was welcomed by a huge crowd that was singing songs on the Croatian language. He bowed before the relics of Saint Anastasia. This was documented on the memorial plaque in the Zadar Cathedral. In Rab, Pope dedicated the Cathedral. This visit, during which he stayed in Zadar for three days, occurred because of a storm that occurred while he was on his way to the Republic of Venice where he signed an agreement with the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I.

Modern times

Since 1527 Croatia was part of the Austrian Empire which signed a concordat with the Holy See in 1855 which regulated the Catholic Church within the empire.

In the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

In 1918, Croatia become part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Negotiations on the concordat were led in 1936 by the Yugoslav Minister of justice Ljudevit Aver and Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII), but were eventually terminated due to opposition by the Serbian Orthodox Church who wanted to remain privileged so the Catholic Church remained the only religious community in the Kingdom which did not have regularized its relationship with the state.

During World War Two

See also: Catholic clergy involvement with the Ustaše

Popemobile in front of the Croatian National Theater in Zagrebduring Pope Benedict XVI official state visit in 2011

In 1941, Nazi puppet state, so-called Independent State of Croatia (NDH), was established by the fascist dictator Ante Pavelić and his Ustaše movement. The regime pursued a genocidal policy against the Serbs (who were Eastern Orthodox Christians), Jews, Romani and many others. Historian Michael Phayer wrote that the creation of the NDH was initially welcomed by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and by many Catholic priests mostly because Ante Pavelić was pro-Catholic, viewing Catholicism as an integral part of Croat culture which Church saw as an opportunity to strengthen its position. British writer Peter Hebblethwaite wrote that Pavelić was anxious to get diplomatic relations and a Vatican blessing for the new 'Catholic state' but that "neither was forthcoming" because the Holy See has been linked to its traditional practice of not recognizing newly created entities during the wars. Aloysius Stepinac wanted Croatia's independence from the Serb dominated Yugoslav state which he considered to be "the jail of the Croatian nation", so he arranged the audience with Pius XII for Pavelić, but nevertheless the Holy See never recognized NDH. Pope sent a Benedictine abbot Giuseppe Ramiro Marcone as his apostolic visitor to NDH.

In SFR Yugoslavia

After the Second World War, Croatia become part of the Communist governed Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. At first, President marshal Josip Broz Tito tried to break centuries long link between Croatia and the Holy See by offering the Archbishop Stepinac to create a Croatian national church but Stepinac refused which eventually resulted in attacks on the bishops in summer of 1952. Pope Pius XII, wishing to pay tribute to archbishop Stepinac for his faithfulness, elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 1953 which triggered reaction of the Government. SFR Yugoslavia cut diplomatic relations with the Holy See accusing it of interfering in the internal state affairs. Stepinac was put to trial, and was eventually found guilty for his cooperation with the Nazi occupiers during the WWII. The Holy See reacted by excommunicating from the Catholic Church President Tito and some other officials who were participating in the trial.

After 13 years, on June 25, 1966, SFR Yugoslavia and the Holy See signed the Protocol with which two states establishmed very limited relations on the level of Government delegates to the Holy See and Apostolic delegate with the function of the envoy to Yugoslavia. This Protocol did not made it possible to sign a concordat or any other legal document that would regulate relations between church and state. It, among other things, stated that "the Catholic Church, in its religious framework, cannot misuse its religious and church functions in order for it to have a political character." On August 15, 1970, Yugoslavia and the Holy See established diplomatic relations at the level of ambassadors. Yugoslavia become the first socialist republic with whom the Holy See established diplomatic relations following the liberal direction it took after the Second Vatican Council.

In March 1971, president Tito visited the Holy See and the Pope Paul VI, thus becoming the first and only leader of a communist country that ever came to the Holy See in the official visit. Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano addressed words of welcome to the President on its frontage; "Greetings President Tito". According to the Croatian diplomat and Vatican analyst Vjekoslav Cvrlje who served as a first Ambassador of Yugoslavia to the Holy See, President Tito was given special attention by the Pope. When Tito arrived at the Ciampino Airport he was greeted by the cardinal Giovanni Benelli and many other senior Vatican officials. During his address to the Pope, Tito said: "Your Holiness, I'm especially pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you and to convey to you the assurance of a high respect from the people and government of Yugoslavia".

Highest ranking Croatian prelate in the Holy See was cardinal Franjo Šeper who served as a Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 1968 to 1981.

Recent developments

Statue erected in honor of the visit of Pope John Paul II, Trsat

Pope Benedict XVI coming out of the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb in 2011

After Croatia declared independence from SFR Yugoslavia in June 1991 due to a series of political upheavals and conflicts within the Federation, the Holy See, namely Pope John Paul II, become one of the most keen advocates of Croatian recognition by the international community. Although the Holy See is cautious in recognizing the new states, it announced on October 3, 1991 that its diplomacy is working actively on Croatian international recognition. On December 20, 1991, the Holy See announced its intentions to recognize Croatia as an independent state. On November 21, 1992, Angelo Sodano, Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See, gave to the ambassadors of the member states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to the Holy See a Memorandum in which the Holy See urged their countries to recognize Croatia as soon as possible. The Holy See officially recognized Croatia as an independent state on January 13, 1992, thus becoming the 2nd fully independent country (after Iceland) to do so.

Pope John Paul II become the first Pope that visited Republic of Croatia. He visited Croatia on September 10, 1994 during the period of the Croatian War of Independence. On September 11, the Holy Father led the Eucharistic celebration in Zagreb in front of about a million people on the occasion of the 900th anniversary of the establishment of the Archdiocese of Zagreb. In addition, he officially opened and blessed the building of the Apostolic Nunciature in Zagreb. Pope John Paul II visited Croatia two more times; from October 2 to 4, 1998, during which he canonized Cardinal blessed Aloysius Stepinac on the Eucharistic celebration in the Croatian National shrine of Marija Bistrica in front of about 500 thousand people, and had celebrated Mass on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the city of Split; from 5 to 9 June, 2003, during which he visited Krk, Rijeka, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Osijek, Đakovo. He left with words: "I greet you beloved Croatian people! Thank you young Croatians as well. May God bless you, Croatia land! God bless you! May God continue to bless and protect Croatia! It will always have a privileged place in my love and in my prayers!" Second Pope that visited Croatia was Pope Benedict XVI who paid a visit from June 4 to 5, 2011 during which he visited Zagreb.

Croatia and the Holy See signed four concordats. The first is about cooperation in the field of education and culture; ratified on January 24, 1997; the second is about spiritual guidance of Catholics who are members of the Croatian armed forces and police; ratified on January 24, 1997; the third is about legal matters; ratified on February 9, 1997; the fourth is about economic cooperation; ratified on December 4, 1998. These concordats have allowed the Catholic Church to provide religious education in state primary and secondary schools, establish Catholic schools, conduct pastoral care among the Catholics in the armed forces and police, and to get financed from the state budget. As regards to financing, the Church has received the following amounts of money over the last decade: 2001; 461.3 bln kunas, 2004-2007; 532 bln kunas, 2008-2011;475.5 bln kunas, 2012-2013; 523.5 bln kunas; plus around 200 million kunas per each year for teachers of religious studies in schools, and around 60 million kunas for maintenance churches which are considered to be a cultural heritage. These contracts, in particular the fourth one, triggered numerous critics.

See also

• Foreign relations of Croatia
• Foreign relations of the Holy See
• Roman Catholicism in Croatia
• Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia