Rafailo Momčilović

Rafailo Momčilović (Kovilj, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 23 April 1875 - Pozega, Independent State of Croatia, 3 September 1941) was a Serbian Orthodox cleric and painter. He was executed during the Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia.

Persecution of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia began almost immediately after the invasion of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by Nazi Germany. Ustasha units, administrative commissars and Ustasha youth took up residence in all Serbian Orthodox monasteries throughout Greater Croatia. The monks who had the opportunity to flee, most often fled to either Serbia (from Croatia) or to Montenegro (from Dalmatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina), and those who were caught were sent to internment camps at Jasenovac or killed on the way. Among many others, the Prior of Šišatovac Monastery, artist Rafailo Momčilović, was killed along the way.[1]

Momčilović was tortured in the Second World War in the hands of the Ustashe at Pozega. His burial site has yet to be found.

Today the Serbian Orthodox Church venerates him as a martyr and saint on 3 September.

Legacy

The icons of the iconostasis of Ružica Church in Belgrade were painted by Rafailo Momčilović, who had gained his iconographic skills from Russian iconographers. It is significant to mention that Rafailo donated all his gain to the building of Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, the work of which had started before World War II. Also, he painted the icons of the iconostasis in the Orthodox church of Gornji Kovilj.[2]

There is an art colony in Vojvodina named after him.[3]

See also

References
  1. Paris, Edmond (September 18, 1988). "Convert-- or die!: Catholic persecution in Yugoslavia during World War II". Chick Publications – via Google Books.
  2. Tomašević, Nebojša (September 18, 1982). "Treasures of Yugoslavia: An Encyclopedic Touring Guide". Yugoslaviapublic – via Google Books.
  3. "DAYS OF ART COLONY RAFAILO MOMČILOVIĆ - Deronje". Vojvodina.travel. January 10, 2013.
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