When the Pope mentioned the projected canonisation of a communist-era cardinal, the reactions demonstrated the passions still surrounding the recent past in Eastern Europe.
Francis was asked during his flight back from Bulgaria about the case of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960), who led Croatia’s Catholic Church during the Second World War and subsequent communist takeover, and was beatified in 1998 despite objections from Serbian Orthodox leaders.
He confirmed that Catholics could pray to Stepinac, a “man of virtue”, but said “unclear historical points” had also emerged during his canonisation process, about which he had sought help from Serbia’s 88-year-old Orthodox Patriarch Irinej.
