Gospić (IKA) – On November 23, the Serbian Orthodox rector (paroh) of Gračac, the Rev. Duško Lujić, took back 94 sacral objects that belonged to the Church of St. John the Precursor [sv. Jovan Preteča] in Medak from the Lika Museum in Gospić. These are objects that were taken for safekeeping by the museum at the request of the Lika-Senj Police Station several months after the military campaign Oluja, October 24, 1995, for the purpose of preserving the sacral heritage. They are mainly icons, including a very interesting one depicting the birth of John the Baptist, crucifixes, candlesticks, icon lamps and liturgical books.
The Rev. Lujić thanked the museum staff for safeguarding the church property for ten years. Part of these artworks were shown this year at an exhibition on the occasion of International Museum Day, May 18, on the topic of national minorities, i.e. the promotion of dialogue among civilizations and communication among various cultures.
According to senior custodian of the Lika Museum in Gospić, Tatjana Kolak, none of the representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church or the Serbian cultural associations had shown any interest in these objects of the sacral heritage during the past ten years unitl the Rev. Lujić’s arrival.