NIKOLIC BRINGS THE POPE DUSHAN'S CODE: Serbia is grateful to the Vatican because of Kosovo, and criticizes it for Stepinac!

 The Serbian President will pay a one-day official visit to the Vatican, where he will meet with Pope Francis and the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

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The Serbian President will, as announced by his office, talk with the Secretary of the Holy See about the relations with State Archbishop Paul Gallagher, and the Head of Department for the Western Balkans, Monsignor Henry Jakodzinskim.

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Nikolic, who, prior to his visit to the Vatican talked with Patriarch Irinej, will convey to Pope Francis certain individual attitudes of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), which are of common interest, and as present to the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Nikolic will present him with Dushan's code.

The announcement of the official visit of President Nikolic to the Vatican came as proof that the relations of the Holy See and Serbia have been good in the recent years, with no outstanding issues, and moving upwards.

Foto: Tanjug

President Nikolic attended the inauguration of the new Pope Francis in March 2013.

When the announcement marking 1700 years of the Edict of Milan in Nis was made, much was said about the need for a dialogue between the Eastern and Western churches, which the Vatican received with approval. They expected the arrival of the Pope, but that did not happen.

The announcement of the canonization of Cardinal Stepinac, after having been sanctified in 1998, which is expected to occur later this year, caused a negative reaction from the Serbian Orthodox Church, and in June 2014 was followed by a letter on this occasion to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

In a special letter regarding the occasion, the Serbian president addressed the Pope and emphasized that efforts should be made, with common wisdom, not to make a move that would offend anyone, given the past experience of the Second World War and the role of Stepinac in this period.

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The Vatican was the first  to recognize the independence of  Croatia and Slovenia on January 13th of 1992), two days before the countries of the European Union (then Community). In general, the nineties were a time where interpersonal relationships were complicated and a difficult atmosphere imbued with the war in former Yugoslavia.

However, the Holy See in 1999 condemned the military intervention in Serbia (FRY) and did not recognize the independence of Kosovo.

(Telegraf.co.uk/ Tanjug)