BOSNIAN FRANCISCANS AND OTHER VICTIMS OF COMMUNIST CRIMES FOUND IN MASS GRAVE AT ZAGVOZD TO BE BURIED ON OCTOBER 7 AND 9

ŠIROKI BRIJEG, Bosnia (October 5,2007) – The burial of 18 Bosnian Franciscans, victims of crime committed during World War II and in the post-war period by the Communists, which were found in a mass grave at Zagvozd in April 2005, will be organised at that place and at Široki Brijeg – fra Mijo Jozić said.

The three identified Franciscans – fra Melhior Prlić, fra Zdenko Zubac and fra Julijan Kožul – will be buried at Široki Brijeg on October 9, while the remaining 15 unidentified bodies will be buried at Zagvozd on October 7.

The funeral of the identified Franciscans will be led by the General of the Franciscan Order, fra José Rodríguez Carballo. They will be buried in the monastery church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary next to the remains of 12 other brethren killed at Široki Brijeg and 6 brethren killed at Mostarski Gradac in 1945.

To sum up, a total of 66 Bosnian Franciscans were killed by the Communists during World War II and in the post-war period. So far only 30 bodies have been found.