When the Serbian state began to expand to the west,
the original Catholic area of eastern Herzegovina was already at the end of the 12th century captured
the first wave of the imposition of Orthodoxy. The first wave of Orthodoxy is stronger
manifested in the so-called. Upper Herzegovina, ie. area of Nevesinje, Gacko, Bileća and
Kalinovnik, and Tribunija (the area around today's Trebinje) . In Popovo
however, Orthodoxy began to spread to a considerable extent only after the Ottoman occupation.
Immediately after the conquest of most of Herzegovina, the Ottomans compiled a list
population. According to the census of 1475 - 1477, they are mentioned in southwestern Popovo
settlements Orahovi Do (23 families), Velja Vas (21 families and 4 singles), Zavala (15
families and 2 singles), Ravno (12 families and 2 singles), Čvaljina (9 families and 1 single),
Cicrina (2 families) and Dvrsnica (2 families). Probably that part of Popov
belonged to the uninhabited village Poljičani (10 families and 2 singles), and is also mentioned
abandoned settlement Turkovići (Aličić 1985: 486–497).
It is interesting that from
of today's larger pop villages does not mention Trebinlje, which could mean that
at that time it was not yet under Ottoman control. It is the southwestern part of Popovo
the period just after the Ottoman occupation could have had about 850 inhabitants,
but according to the large increase in the population of the Republic of Dubrovnik in the 15th century. i
the fact that in Lower Herzegovina, according to the census from 1475 to 1477, 35.2
% of abandoned settlements, it is easy to conclude that a good part of Popovac emigrated just now
to the Dubrovnik area (cf. Krešić 2010: 123).
In deserted villages (primarily
neighboring Lug and Boban) inhabited by the Vlach population, and the expansion is
Orthodoxy in Popovo was also contributed by the construction of a monastery in Zavala a little earlier
1514. In addition, the Ottomans themselves passed strict laws against Catholics in 1516.
Thus in 1516 a law was passed to demolish all the Catholic churches built before
capture of Herzegovina and to destroy all crosses placed along the roads
(Šabanović 1950: 165). The position of the Orthodox was under Ottoman rule
much more favorable also because the Serbian Orthodox Church collected taxes
for the Ottomans and Catholics had to pay significantly higher amounts.
The Ottomans showed somewhat greater tolerance towards the Orthodox because it is read
the Orthodox hierarchy (including the Patriarch of Constantinople) was under
their rule, while the popes often sought to incite anti-Ottoman rule
military action. The Uskok incursions of 1538 and 1584 also thinned the Catholic
population in Popovo. From historical sources we learn about the incursions on Trebimlje,
Velju Među, Ravno and Orahovi Do, and according to tradition, they are in Uskok attacks
completely devastated Doljani, Velja Sela and Golokordići.
At the beginning of the 17th century. Popovo
it embraces a second and even stronger wave of post-Orthodoxism.
Bishop Dominic
Andrijašević reports in 1627 that 360 families from Popovo converted to Orthodoxy,
3 From historical sources we learn that Catholicism persisted in these areas a few more
century. Thus the Capuchin Fr. Bernardin Pomazanić in 1530 testified about how it was in a village
between Bileća and Gacko he met former "Latins" and how women in Gacko prayed to him
to bless their religious objects (Bazilije Pandžić 1959: 31). In addition, the Orthodox in
Berkovići we find the surname Ŕntunović, and as St. Antun Padovanski lived 1195 - 1231. (a
it is hard to believe that the surname is a reflection of the worship of St. Anthony of Egypt because the confirmation of the Christian
the name Antun in the Serbian anthroponymic system is not found in the Decani Chrysostoms, and
in Croats we find the first confirmation from the 13th century), it is clear that the surname is a reflection of the Catholic presence in
parts of eastern Herzegovina where there are almost no Catholics today.
How 7 out of 12 priestly Catholic churches passed into Orthodox hands and how
believers from Dubrava and Podveležje (about 250 families) have not been for 10-12 years
see a Catholic priest. It is only in Dračevo and Dubljani in Gornji
In 1645, as many as 60 families converted to Orthodoxy, and in Žurovići 15 families (Draganović
1937: 27–28). What the situation was like in some villages is most eloquently said by two
lists of Catholic believers from 1624 and 1639. From them it is evident that the number of Catholics
in Dubljani, Čvaljina and Kijevo Do in just 15 years decreased as much as three times.4
From the same census it is evident that, in spite of the unfavorable circumstances, the number of Catholics
in Bobani, Žurovići and the surroundings of Trebinje is still significant (in 1624 in
About 230 Catholics lived in Trebinje and its immediate surroundings; cf. Jačov 1983: 401).
At the end of the 17th century, with constant migrations to the Dubrovnik area, large
part of Popovac is moving towards the Neretva region.
According to Catholic data
matica neretvanskih župa it is evident that Catholics lived in that period and
in the villages of Grmljani, Poljice, Diklići, Žakovo and Šćenica, which in the last 300
years inhabited exclusively by Orthodox people.
Originally Posted by Stearsolina
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