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🇷🇸 Serbia /Conflict & Security

At Ratko Mladic’s funeral, Serbian patriarch says his name will remain in the memory of many Serbs

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije led the funeral service for Ratko Mladic, who died in The Hague while serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes.
  • In his sermon, Porfirije said Mladic’s name would remain deeply embedded in the memory and prayers of much of the Serbian Orthodox population.
  • The patriarch also acknowledged the “terrible time” and war in which Mladic served, referring to lives, homes and graves lost during the conflict.

Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije led the funeral service for Ratko Mladic, the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska who died in The Hague while serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes.

Mladic was due to be buried at Belgrade’s Topcider Cemetery. Porfirije conducted the service with other bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church and devoted much of his sermon to death, faith and the hope of divine mercy.

His name will remain deeply woven into the memory and prayers of most of the Serbian Orthodox people.

· Patriarch PorfirijeThe patriarch referred to how much of the Serbian Orthodox community would remember Mladic.

“His name will remain deeply woven into the memory and prayers of most of the Serbian Orthodox people,” Porfirije said. He described Mladic as a soldier and commander who, in a difficult and tragic period, stood at the head of his people’s army and gave his life for the freedom and survival of his people.

We stand before a life that cannot be separated from a terrible time, a horrific war, lost homes, lives and graves.

· Patriarch PorfirijePorfirije acknowledged the war and its victims while delivering the funeral sermon.

The patriarch also placed the funeral within the context of the war. “We stand before a life that cannot be separated from a terrible time, a horrific war, lost homes, lives and graves,” he said. “Therefore, as we pray for the soul of the deceased, we also pray for all those whose lives were extinguished.”

Mladic was convicted in 2017 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and sentenced to life in prison for genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The article also noted that former Republika Srpska president Radovan Karadzic received a life sentence for the Srebrenica genocide. Mladic’s trial began on May 16, 2012, and the presentation of evidence lasted more than four years.

Therefore, as we pray for the soul of the deceased, we also pray for all those whose lives were extinguished.

· Patriarch PorfirijeThe patriarch extended the funeral prayers to those killed during the conflict.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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