Reporting of Federici Studies Center
Bosnia and Herzegovina: i 30 martyrs of Široki Brijeg in memory of Fr. Jozo Zovko
During the Turkish domination of Bosnia-Herzegovina, twelve Franciscans originally from Herzegovina and coming from Kresevo in Bosnia, they decided to build a monastery in their homeland, as a sign of faith, and chose the location of Široki Brijeg. They settled in this little village and, after having bought a large plot of land at a high price, they began to build the church, dedicating it to the Madonna Assunta in Cielo. Work also began immediately to build the monastery and subsequently a building to be used as a seminary.
Nearby they built a school center which also included a gymnasium where the friars taught the young generations of Bosnia-Herzegovina. A house was also built for all those who came from afar to attend the school. Thus the place became a Christian cultural center and the sanctuary transformed into a symbol for Herzegovina. Exactly one hundred years later the monastery was destroyed and devastated.
It happened like this: il 7 February 1945, the communist partisans decided to destroy the Christian symbol from its foundations and eradicate the Catholic faith and the benevolence and gratitude towards the Franciscan friars from the hearts of the people.
They arrived at three in the afternoon and found thirty religious men in the monastery; many of them were professors in the gymnasium behind the monastery. The communists said: “God is dead, God is not there, there is no Pope, there is no Church, there is no need for you, you too go into the world to work".
With threats and blasphemies they tried to persuade the friars to leave the religious habit. They responded: “We are religious, consecrated, we can't leave our clothes.". At that time, an angry soldier took the Cross and threw the Crucifix on the floor. “Ecco, he said, Now you can choose life or death.".
Each of them knelt, he hugged and kissed Jesus; clutching the cross to his chest, everyone said like Saint Francis: “You are my God, my Everything".
As I already said, some friars were very famous professors, they had written many books and manuals for school. But they didn't embrace their books and say: “You are everything to me”. No! They embraced Jesus, the Master!
Full of hatred and malice, the persecutors then took the friars one by one, they took them out of the convent and killed them; then they doused their bodies with gasoline and burned them. The friars met their death praying and singing the litanies of the Madonna. These things were witnessed by the soldiers who were part of the firing squad.
One of those soldiers was shocked by the heroic behavior of the friars. He told: “Since I was a child, in my family, I always heard from my mother that God exists, God exists. On the contrary, Lenin, Stalin, Tito had always affirmed and done everything to instill in each of us: God is not there, it doesn't exist! When life circumstances brought me to face the martyrs of Široki Brijeg and I saw how those friars faced death, praying and blessing their persecutors, asking God to forgive the sins of the executioners, then my mother's words resonated clearly and I thought: my mom was right, God is there, God exists!“ (…)
And the martyrs of Siroki Brijeg
From Bruno Adamcik, graduated in philosophy and music in Bratislava, I had 37 years when he ascended to the glory of Heaven;
Brother Marko Barbaric, 80 years. Devoted to the Madonna, he enjoyed a reputation for sanctity among his students and seminarians who testified that, walking in the park, he often spoke to the birds. These, as soon as they saw him, they ran to greet him and placed themselves in droves on the hand he held out for them. He had lost his memory and didn't realize there was war. That 7 February 1945 he lay in his bedroom sick with typhus. The communist officers ordered him to be taken out too, and so they did, carrying him on a blanket. Then he was killed and thrown into the fire.
Brother Jozo Bencun, 76 years. Era stato parroco a Humac e a Široki Brijeg.
From Marko Dragicevic, 43 years. Graduated in history, Greek and Latin, he could not conceive of any of his students being rejected, therefore he found a way to enhance its positive sides.
Brother Miljenko Ivankovic, 21 years. He was very devoted and humble. His brother and nephew are now Franciscan friars.
Brother Andrija Jelcic, 41 years. Era padre guardiano a Široki Brijeg. He built the Capljina church. The people remember him as a good shepherd and a true father.
Friar Rudo Juric, 20 years. He was a cleric with simple vows.
Brother Fabijan Kordic, 55 years. He was very devoted and good, he made clothes for the friars and thus prepared himself to receive the habit that does not wear out: that of martyrdom.
From Viktor Kosir, 21 years. When all the younger seminarians, despite not wanting to leave the monastery, they were forced by the Rector to return to their villages, knowing full well that the communists would come to kill them, Fra Viktor resisted more than the others, but out of obedience he returned home. However, he only stopped for a few hours, despite the pleas of the parents who could hear the roar of the bombing planes. He died with the others, as he had desired.
Fra Tadija Kozul, 36 years. Professor of philosophy, Greek and Latin, he was an educator of the clerics who loved him very much and preferred to die with him rather than leave him.
Brother Krsto Kraljevic, 50 years. He had given a great example to the people by how he had carried the cross of his illness, thus preparing the soul for martyrdom.
Brother Stanko Kraljevic; 74 years. Preacher, professor, educator of clerics in Široki Brijeg.
Brother Zarko Leventic, 26 years. He confessed the sick and while carrying the Eucharist he fell ill with typhus. He was also taken from his bed and killed. Era Cappellano and Široki Brijeg.
Friar Bonifacije Majic, 62 years. Professor and catechist, he got up at night to tuck the boys in. He was much loved by the people as a friar, professor and pedagogue.
From Stjepan Majic, 20 years, he had recently finished his novitiate and taken his temporary vows.
From Arkandeo Nuic, 49 years. Graduated from the Sorbonne (University of Paris) he taught Latin, greco, German and French. He was called “God's sheep” for his meekness.
Fra Borislav Pandzic, 35 years. Professor of religion, he was a friar of true and simple Franciscan life.
From Kresimir Pandzic, 53 years. He was a multi-graduate, he had been Provincial for three years. Professor of classical language and director of the school, very active, He demanded the best from his students. He had great tasks but always remained humble.
Fra Fabijan Paponja, 48 years. He was in charge of the boarding school, very sensitive towards his students to whom he always gave small gifts.
Brother Nenad Venancije Pehar, 35 years, professor of philosophy. Loved by the students because he did not differentiate between them.
From Melhior Prilic, 53 years. He was just a friar, not a priest, and did carpentry work, He was respectful of the Rule, never absent from community prayer, he was much loved by the other friars.
From Ludovik Rados, 20 years. He had just finished the novitiate and taken his temporary vows.
From Leonard Rupcic, 38 years. French teacher, He gave such an example of humility and goodness that the students were ashamed, more than with other professors, when they hadn't studied.
Fra Mariofil Sivric, 32 years. Chaplain and educator, as well as vicar of the convent. He was a classic example of a humble friar faithful to the Franciscan vow.
From Ivo Sliskovic, 68 years. After working in various parishes he came to Široki Brijeg to spend the last years of his life.
Friar Cornelius Susac, 20 years. He had only given first grades.
Fra Dobroslav Simovic, 38 years. He had become a doctor of theology in Paris, then professor and educator of seminarians, he wrote a dissertation on the Our Father in French.
From Radoslav Vuksic, 51 years. He studied in Vienna, he was a professor of mathematics and physics, as well as director of the gymnasium for six years. The former Yugoslavia required teachers to also be examined by the rulers of Belgrade. When Brother Radoslav stood before his examiners, they were amazed by the friar's wisdom and culture.
From Roland Zlopasa, 33 years. Professor of philosophy, he taught more with his life than with words. He was known for his profound meditations.
From Leopold Augustin Zubac, 55 years. Excellent priest and professor, he was an assistant at the hydropower plant that produced electricity, built by the friars for their needs and that of the area.
