GOVERNMENT DETAINS SERBIAN METROPOLITAN; ELECT NEW HEAD OF YUGOSLAV CHURCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600330200-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2011
• Sequence Number: 200
• Publication Date: July 25, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/31: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600330200-2
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD O.
COUNTRY Yugoslavia
SUBJECT Political - Church vs-state
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspaper
WHERE
PUBLISHED Zurich
DATE
PUBLISHED 29 Jun, 3 Jul 1950
LANGUAGE German
IITDOCUMENT ITED CONTAINS WITHIN INFORMATION TOO MEANING 0/1 ESPIONAGE DEFINER
ACT or N^ UN ID
U. S. C.. 81 AND $2. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION 0E THE IIIILATION
CO T IN ANY EARNS% TO AN II
or ITS NIr5000CT10N OF THIS SOAK IS FNONI ITOD? IS PRO
511I11?D IT LAW. ?
SOURCE Neue Zuercher Zeitung.
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1950
DATE DIST. J-r Jul 1950
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
GOVERNMENT DETAINS SERBIAN METROPOLITAN;
ELECT NEW READ OF YUGOSLAV CHURCH
ARREST YUGOSLAV CHURCH LEADER -- Neue Zuercher Zeitung, No 1372, 29 Jun 50 arrest of the ian
It is reported from Belgrade ea -old7leadertofttheeopposition againstbthe
Orthodox Metropolitan, Josif, 73-Y
government's candidate for the office of Patriarch, has been officially con-
firmed. Josif is charged with complicity in a monarchist plot against the re-
gime. The Metropolitan, a man of great influence, allegedly is being dealt
with very circumspectly. He has not been imprisoned but is beiing confined to
his customary residence, a monastery near Rankovicevo. Apparently his ppo
tuniti.PR for contact with the outside world are negligible.
Josif is head of the Holy Synod, the Supreme Serbian Orthodox Church au-
thority. We has been attacked in the news organ of the National Association
of Priests for having signed a petition against the Partisans during the oc-
cupation.
BISHOP VIKENTIJE WINS PATRIARCHATE -- Neue Zuercher Zeitung, No 1406, 3 Jul 50
The much-disputed election of thqy.iiew Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox
Church took place in Belgrade on 1 July. Sixty-one of the 73 members of the
election board were present. Bishop Vikentiie, of Sletovo-Strumica, Macedonia,
won the election by 33 votes. Although he was the candidate of the state-sup-
ported Association of Priests and of the National Committees on Religion, Pa-
triarch Vikentije is considered a man of independent character and it is doubted
that he will let himself be used as a mere figureher..-i.
Metropolitan Josif, the opposition leader in the patriarchial elections,
is still imprisoned in A South Serbian monastery. ,
Reports of the arrest of General Stefanovic, Chief of the Belgrade Police
in the old Royalist days, have not been denied. Doctor Kumanudis, former For-
eign Minister, is also said to have been arrested.
NAW
CLASSIFICATION
K
FBI
RESTRICTED
DISTRIBUTION
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/31
CIA-RDP80-00809A000600330200_2