KOŠEVO CHAPEL DEDICATED TO SARAJEVO-VIDOVDAN HEROES CELEBRATES MIHOLJDAN

SARAJEVO, OCTOBER 12 /SRNA/ - The Chapel of the Sarajevo Vidovdan Heroes and Martyrs at the Orthodox cemetery in Sarajevo's Koševo district today celebrated its patron saint's day, Miholjdan, with a liturgy and the traditional breaking of the slava bread.

Hadži Saša Kalinić, this year's feast sponsor, said it was an honor to hold that role at a place that bears witness to the history of the Serbian people and serves as a link between the past and the present.

"This place was restored several years ago thanks to the clergy of the Old Church and the people of Sarajevo and Istočno Sarajevo, who helped through donations. It is an honor to be the slava sponsor here because we are at a place that is part of our history," Kalinić told SRNA.

Kalinić reminded that the chapel was designed by architect Aleksandar Deroko, who also worked on the Church of Saint Sava, and pointed to the significance of the memorial and the names incorporated into the structure, which is dedicated to preserving the memory of Serb victims and heroes.

He said it was important for younger generations to preserve the memory of historical events and the sacrifices of their ancestors, because the past must be discussed so that lessons can be drawn for the future.

"There is no future without the past," Kalinić said.

He noted that Serbian heroes who gave their lives for their ideals were buried there and expressed hope that their sacrifice would be respected by all fellow citizens.

The crypt of the chapel contains the remains of all members of Young Bosnia who took part in the Sarajevo assassination and whose places of death and burial were known, except Muhamed Mehmedbašić, Cvjetko Popović and Vaso Čabrinović, who died later.

The remains of the Vidovdan heroes were transferred and buried in a joint grave in Sarajevo on July 7, 1920. In 1939, after the Chapel of the Vidovdan Heroes was completed, their remains were finally laid to rest in the crypt beneath an inscribed memorial slab.

Those buried in the joint grave are Gavrilo Princip, Bogdan Žerajić, Vladimir Gaćinović, Nedeljko Čabrinović, Danilo Ilić, Veljko Čubrilović, Neđo Kerović, Mitar Kerović, Mihajlo Miško Jovanović, Jakov Milović, Trifko Grabež and Marko Perin.

Archimandrite Venijamin Nikolinović /1813-1916/ is also buried in the chapel crypt.

Staka Skenderova, Paulina Irby and Gligorije Jeftanović are buried in the cemetery near the chapel.