Čuvari Hristovog groba
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Čuvari Hristovog Groba ( sr-cyr, Чувари Хрстовог гроба; "Guardians of Christ's Grave") refers to a religious/cultural practice of guarding a representation of
Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
's grave on
Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
in the Church of St. Nicholas by the
Serbian Orthodox The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches. The majority of the population in ...
inhabitants in the town of
Vrlika Vrlika is a small town in inland Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. The closest large towns are Sinj, Knin, and Drniš. Vrlika was given the status of town in 1997. Vrlika is an underdeveloped municipality which is statistically classified as the ...
in Northern Dalmatia,
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
and
Batajnica Batajnica ( sr-Cyrl, Батајница, ) is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. It is located in the Belgrade municipality of Zemun. Location and geography Batajnica is located in the Syrmia region, in the northern ...
,
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
. Exact knowledge of when this custom began in Vrlika, is not known. According to oral tradition, the custom is believed to have been brought to Vrlika from
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
during the 16th century. Undoubtedly a long tradition, the practice of guarding Christ's grave is embedded in the history of Vrlika and its Orthodox Christian inhabitants. With the conversion of many Serbian Orthodox locals into the
Uniate The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of th ...
and Catholic faith, the tradition was carried on by local Catholics, many of whom are
Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...
. There are no significant differences in the ceremony or uniforms between the Orthodox and Catholic traditions. Prior to 1991, when the observation of Easter fell on the same day, Orthodox and Catholic Guardian's would visit each other's churches, celebrating and leaving gifts at both churches. The tradition is well known as an example of Vrlika's Orthodox and Catholic populations close relationship and tolerance towards each other. Čuvari Hristovog Groba is one of
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
's candidates for
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's
Intangible cultural heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...
-list.


Description

The Church of St. Nicholas was founded in 1618. It is not known when the tradition began, although folklore tells that it has existed for more than four centuries. The guards arrive at the church dressed in folk costumes of Vrlika and nine nearby villages, led by the ''
harambaša Harambaša ( sr-cyr, Харамбаша) was the rank for a senior commander of a ''hajduk'' band (brigand gangs). Etymology It is derived from Turkish word for bandit leader ( tr, haramibaşı; - "Bandit" + - "Head"), and was like some other Ot ...
'' (chief), and two guards take place at the north and south of the tomb of the Christ. There are frequent changing of the guards' places, and they march quietly through the church unobtrusively, in solid piety, until they take their seats and stare at the Holy Shroud. The custom originates from folk piety and do not disturb the harmony of church prayers, but embellishes the liturgy with elements of warrior dignity. A guardian of the tomb can only be an honourable and devout Serbian Orthodox male from Vrlika and its nine surrounding villages.


Controversy

The
Republic of Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
sent a letter to the Association of Čuvari Hristovog Groba, requesting that the tradition be presented as a Croatian national tradition. Association President, Dragan Pavlović, said that the Republic of Croatia had already presented
Sinjska alka The Sinjska alka () is an equestrian competition held in the Croatian town of Sinj every first Sunday in August since 1715. It commemorates a Croatian– Venetian victory in the Ottoman–Venetian war on August 14, 1715 in which the local Christia ...
and another Serbian folk tradition,
Ojkanje singing Ojkanje is a tradition of polyphonic folk singing in Croatia, characteristic for the regions of the Dalmatian hinterland, Velebit, Lika, Kordun, and Karlovac. As described in ''The Harvard Dictionary of Music'': "The ojkanje is a particular style ...
, as Croatian traditions (in UNESCO), and that the Serbian inhabitants of the region "will not give them Čuvari Hristovog Groba". The tradition, initially solely Serb, entered local Catholic liturgical practice only with the
Uniate The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of th ...
(Catholicization) of local Serbs, thus, Pavlović says that "it is therefore Croats appropriate this Serb tradition ..we Serbs do not want to, in this way, be Catholicizated."


References


Sources

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cuvari Hristovog Groba Serbs of Croatia Serb traditions History of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia Vrlika Slavic Easter traditions Eastern Orthodox Christian culture