Blessed Martyrs of Drina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blessed Martyrs of Drina
Painting of the Holy Martyrs of Drina, with the Holy Ghost above them.
Personal details
Born	Austria-Hungary
Died	Goražde, Independent State of Croatia
Sainthood
Feast day	15 December
Beatified	24 September 2011 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Cardinal Angelo Amato (on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI)
Attributes	Dove Martyr's palm Religious habit
Patronage	Nuns, the sick, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina Hungary, Austria

The Blessed Martyrs of Drina (Croatian: Drinske mučenice) were five nuns from the Daughters of Divine Charity group. They died during World War II in a very sad way. These five sisters were later recognized as martyrs. Pope Benedict XVI declared them "Blessed" on September 24, 2011. This special ceremony was led by Cardinal Angelo Amato.

A Time of War and Danger

World War II Begins

In April 1941, World War II reached Yugoslavia. Forces from the Axis powers (like Germany and Italy) invaded the country. The local army was not ready and was quickly defeated. This led to a new state being formed, called the Independent State of Croatia.

This new state was led by a group called the Ustaše. They had very strong nationalist ideas. They also had very harsh rules for people who were not Croats. Many people, especially Serbs, Jews, and Roma, faced great danger.

Life During the War

The Ustaše government passed unfair laws. They targeted Serbs, who made up a large part of the population. Many Serbs were killed or forced to leave their homes. Some were also sent to special camps.

Because of this, two main groups started fighting back. One group was the Chetniks, mostly Serbs. The other was the Yugoslav Partisans, who were from different ethnic groups. The country became a very dangerous place.

The Chetniks Take Control

One of the Chetnik leaders was named Jezdimir Dangić. He was sent to eastern Bosnia to lead the Chetnik groups there. His group fought against the Ustaše. They also targeted Bosnian Muslims in the area.

In November 1941, Dangić's Chetniks took control of the town of Goražde. When they arrived, Dangić gave a speech. He said that Serbs and Bosnian Muslims could no longer live together. After this, his fighters started attacking homes and killing people in the town.

The Nuns' Story

Capture of the Nuns

On December 11, 1941, Dangić's Chetniks entered the town of Pale. They attacked the local Roman Catholic convent, called Marijin dom. They stole things and burned the building.

Inside the convent, they found five nuns. Their names were Jula Ivanišević, Berchmana Leidenix, Krizina Bojanc, Antonija Fabjan, and Bernadeta Banja. These nuns were from different countries: two from Slovenia, one from Croatia, one from Hungary, and one from Austria.

A Difficult Journey

That evening, the Chetniks forced the nuns and other prisoners to march. They had to walk across the Romanija mountain range. It was freezing cold, and the snow was very deep. The nuns were made fun of and threatened during the march.

As they walked through a village called Sjetlina, Sister Leidenix, who was 76 years old, became too tired to continue. She was separated from the group and left behind.

The Final Moments

The four remaining nuns were taken to Goražde on December 15. They were held on the third floor of an old army building. That evening, a group of Chetniks came into their room. The nuns then jumped from the second-floor window. This act led to their deaths.

Sister Leidenix, who was left behind, was taken to a forest near Sjetlina on December 23. She was told she would be reunited with the others. But she was never seen again. One of the Chetniks who came out of the forest without her was later seen wearing her rosary.

After the War

What Happened Next

News of the nuns' deaths spread quickly. In April 1942, Jezdimir Dangić was arrested by the Germans. He was sent to a prison camp. He later escaped and took part in a fight against the Germans in Warsaw.

In 1945, Dangić was captured by the Red Army. He was sent back to Yugoslavia. There, he was put on trial for his actions during the war. He was found guilty and executed in 1947.

Remembering the Martyrs

On January 14, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the five nuns would be recognized as martyrs. They were officially declared "Blessed" in a special ceremony. This event took place in Sarajevo on September 24, 2011. Cardinal Angelo Amato led the ceremony.

Two books have been written about the nuns. One is called Drina Martyrs by Anto Baković. The other is Vow Signed With Blood by Sister Slavica Buljan. These books help people remember the bravery and sacrifice of the Martyrs of Drina.

Images for kids

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  Jezdimir Dangić during his trial.