SIX POLICE CARS FOR PEACEFUL PARISHIONERS Bishop Irinej Calls Police on His Own Flock in 14°F Weather

St. Sava Cathedral, Parma, Ohio

December 21, 2024

Temperature: 14°F (-10°C)

WHAT HAPPENED TODAY

This morning, approximately 6 police cars and 10-11 police officers arrived at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, Ohio.

Their mission?

To serve trespassing warnings to parishioners attempting to enter their own church.

Among those served with trespassing notices:

• Nina Marković - unanimously elected Parish Board President, rejected by Bishop Irinej in apparent retaliation; also the victim of November 30th assault by the same person Bishop then appointed as "Trustee President"

• Bozo Lemajić - longtime parishioner who went home after receiving his warning

• Branka Tubin-Mudrinić - longtime parishioner, mother, active member of the parish community

But it didn't stop there.

After receiving trespassing warnings, Nina Marković and Branka Tubin-Mudrinić crossed the street - leaving church property entirely, standing on the opposite side of the road.

Police followed them across the street and warned Nina again: if she comes to church property, she will be arrested.

Let that sink in: Police crossed a public street to warn parishioners standing on the opposite sidewalk that they would be arrested if they returned to their own church.

The message delivered by police, on behalf of Bishop Irinej Dobrijević:

"If you step on church property, you will be arrested."

The crime: Being faithful members of their own parish.

LET THAT SINK IN

A Serbian Orthodox bishop called six police cars to prevent his own parishioners from entering their church.

Not because they were violent. Not because they were destructive. Not because they posed any threat.

Because they asked questions. Because they filed canonical appeals. Because they refused to legitimize corruption.

So he called the police. To threaten them with arrest for stepping on the property of the church they built, they maintain, and they support financially.

And when two women crossed the street to leave church property, police followed them across the street to warn them again.

This is not crowd control. This is not maintaining order. This is intimidation.

THE ABSURDITY

Here's what makes this even more absurd:

The faithful weren't trying to enter the church building anyway.

They've been standing outside for 8 weeks. In the parking lot. In rain. In snow. In -2°F cold. In 14°F cold today. They chose not to enter because entering would legitimize the illegal "trusteeship" Bishop Irinej imposed. So Bishop Irinej calls six police cars to serve trespassing warnings... for people who were already voluntarily staying outside.

What was the plan here?

Did he think trespassing warnings would make them stop gathering? They're already gathering outside! They've been doing it for 8 weeks!

The warnings change nothing - except now the world can see:

A bishop so desperate that he calls the police to threaten parishioners who are peacefully standing in their own church parking lot.

This wasn't about protecting property. This was about intimidation. Pure and simple. He thought: "If I threaten them with arrest, they'll stop coming."

He IS wrong.

WHO IS NINA MARKOVIĆ?

Let's be very clear about who Bishop Irinej just had police threaten with arrest:

Nina Marković:

• Unanimously elected Parish Board President by the parishioners of St. Sava Cathedral

• Rejected by Bishop Irinej (in violation of parish bylaws and standard procedure)

• Assaulted on November 30th by a parishioner

• Victim whose assailant was then appointed by Bishop Irinej as "Trustee President" the very next day

• Among the 120+ families who filed canonical appeals to the Holy Archiepiscopal Synod in Belgrade

• Now threatened with arrest for attempting to enter her own church

Her family's deep commitment to this parish:

• Nina and Saša were married at St. Sava Cathedral

• Both her children were baptized at St. Sava Cathedral

• Her husband Saša, was baptized at St. Sava Cathedral

• Saša baptized three other children, serving as godfather (kum) to families in the parish

• Member of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, 

• Volunteers at every church festival - since her university days - decades of service

• Volunteers Sundays, Slava’s, etc. - cooking, organizing, serving

• Attends Divine Liturgy every Sunday with her family

• Her children are enrolled in: 

  • Serbian language school

  • Sunday school

  • Serbian folklore group

• Her son serves as an altar boy

This is a family whose entire life revolves around St. Sava Cathedral. Marriage, baptisms, weddings, festivals, Serbian school, altar service, Circle of Sisters, godparenthood - every sacrament, every tradition, every Sunday for decades.

And now, by threatening Nina with arrest, Bishop Irinej has effectively barred her children from their church as well - because their mother cannot bring them to church property without risking arrest.

Think about that:

• An altar boy cannot serve at the altar because his mother was threatened with arrest

• Children cannot attend Serbian school because their mother cannot bring them

• A family baptized and raised in this cathedral for generations is now banned

This is who Bishop Irinej considers a threat requiring six police cars.

A woman who:

• Was elected by her community

• Has served this parish for decades

• Raised her children in the Serbian Orthodox faith at this cathedral

• Was assaulted

• Had her assailant been rewarded with a position of authority

• Continues to stand for justice despite everything

• And whose children now cannot attend their own church because their mother faces arrest

And now she's threatened with arrest for stepping on church property.

WHO IS BOŽO LEMAJIĆ?

Let's be clear about who Bishop Irinej just had police threaten with arrest:

Božo Lemajić:

• 25 years as a faithful parishioner of St. Sava Cathedral

• Serbian folklore instructor for 10 years - teaching children and youth Serbian traditional dances, preserving Serbian culture and heritage

• Serbian folklore dancer for 18 years - performing at festivals, church celebrations, representing Serbian culture

• Among the families standing in witness for 8+ weeks

• Committed to canonical procedure and proper church governance

• Threatened with arrest for attempting to enter his own church property

• Went home after receiving his trespassing warning

What makes this particularly cruel:

During those 10 years Božo served as folklore instructor, people within the church, the same one that are Bishop’s marionettes now,  were fighting to eliminate everything Serbian, including folklore.

He fought to preserve Serbian culture. He taught children their heritage. He kept traditions alive - while some people in the church worked to erase them.

And now? The bishop who presides over this systematic erasure of Serbian identity calls police to threaten the man who spent a decade preserving it.

25 years of faithful service.10 years teaching children.18 years dancing and performing.Preserving Serbian culture while church leadership tried to destroy it.

And for this - six police cars and a trespassing warning.

Even this "victory" - one parishioner going home after being threatened - required six police cars.

WHO IS BRANKA TUBIN-MUDRINIĆ?

Branka Tubin-Mudrinić:

• Faithful parishioner since 2009 - over 15 years of service to St. Sava Cathedral

• Mother and active member of the parish community

• Among the families standing in witness for 8+ weeks

• Committed to proper church governance and canonical order

• Dedicated to ensuring parishioners can exercise their canonical rights

• Received a trespassing warning, then crossed the street with Nina to leave church property

• Police followed them across the street to warn them again

This is who Bishop Irinej considers dangerous enough that police must follow her across a public street:

A woman committed to the canonical order and helping her fellow parishioners exercise their rights within the Church.

THE STREET CROSSING

Think about this moment:

Nina Marković and Branka Tubin-Mudrinić, after receiving trespassing warnings, left church property. They crossed the street. They stood on the opposite sidewalk.

And the police crossed the street after them.

Not to direct traffic. Not because they were blocking anything. To warn them again that if they return to church property, they will be arrested.

They literally couldn't leave far enough. Even across the street, police felt the need to follow and intimidate.

THE PATTERN IS CLEAR

November 30th: Nina assaulted by a parishionerDecember 1st: Bishop appoints her assailant as "Trustee President" December 5th: Bishop's kumovi and family board members invade Fr. Dragoslav's home, change locks, terrorize familyDecember 8th: Bishop issues statement claiming he was "falsely accused"December 18th: Bishop's lawyers send cease & desist letters to 9 parishioners (including Nina)December 22nd: Bishop calls six police cars to threaten parishioners with arrest

This is not church governance. This is systematic persecution.

THE QUESTIONS

For Bishop Irinej:

Six police cars? For peaceful parishioners? In 14-degree weather?

Is this what you learned in seminary - that when the faithful ask questions, you call the police?

Is this how Serbian Orthodox bishop shepherd his flocks - with trespassing warnings and threats of arrest?

For the Police:

You served trespassing warnings today. Did anyone tell you:

• Nina Marković was unanimously elected by the parishioners and rejected by the bishop.

• Nina Marković was assaulted, and her assailant was then rewarded by the bishop?

• These are parishioners of their own church, not strangers?

• 120+ families have filed formal appeals with the international church authority in Belgrade.

• The "trusteeship" you're enforcing is under active canonical dispute?

You were asked to enforce a "trespassing" policy. But were you told the full story?

For the Holy Archiepiscopal Synod in Belgrade:

A bishop is using police to bar parishioners from their own church.

A bishop is threatening the arrest of faithful members who:

• Filed canonical appeals (their right under church law)

• They were elected by their community

• Have been assaulted and terrorized

• Continue to seek justice through proper channels

How many police cars does it take before you intervene?

WHAT THIS REVEALS

When a bishop needs six police cars to keep parishioners out of their church, and threatens arrest instead of dialogue, he has abandoned pastoral care.

When a bishop's "trusteeship" requires police enforcement, it lacks legitimacy.

Legitimate authority doesn't need six police cars. Legitimate authority has the trust of the people.

Bishop Irinej has neither.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

The faithful will continue to stand.

Not inside the church (they've been threatened with arrest).But outside. In witness. As they have for 8+ weeks.

Week 9 will happen.

In whatever weather comes. With whatever police presence Bishop Irinej calls. Despite whatever threats are made.

Because some things matter more than comfort, more than warmth, more than avoiding arrest:

• Justice

• Canonical procedure

• Accountability

• The right of the faithful to have a voice in their own church

• The refusal to legitimize corruption, no matter how many police cars show up

TO NINA MARKOVIĆ, BOZO LEMAJIC, AND BRANKA TUBIN-MUDRINIĆ

You were threatened with arrest today for attempting to enter your own church property.

This is not your shame. This is Bishop Irinej's shame.

Wear this badge with honor.

When future generations ask what you did when your church was hijacked, you can say:

"I stood. Even when threatened with arrest. Even in 14-degree weather. Even when six police cars came. I stood."

TO THE 120+ FAMILIES

Six police cars couldn't stop you.

Trespassing warnings couldn't silence you.

14-degree weather couldn't break you.

Week 9 is coming.

NOTE: Eight parishioners received trespass notices; however, we are reporting only on those who were physically present on church property at the time.

CONTACT

For media inquiries: parohijanistsava@gmail.com

To the Holy Archiepiscopal Synod: This is your bishop. Six police cars. Threats of arrest. In 14°F weather. Against parishioners who filed canonical appeals. Act now.

To other parishes suffering under corrupt bishops: Document everything. This is what happens when corruption goes unchecked. Stand together. Stand firm.

"When they threaten you with arrest for entering your own church property, you know you're doing something right." -

Parishioner, St. Sava Cathedral, December 22, 2024