Vatican OKs miracle for Croatian called traitor by Jews

Serbs and Jews accuse Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac of sympathizing with Ustasha Nazi puppet regime

By AP 14 February 2014, 3:56 pm

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Croatian Parliament president Marko Došen giving Nazi salute (far left) accompanied by Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac (far right) and other Catholic Church leaders. (public domain via wikipedia)

VATICAN CITY — A World War II-era Croatian cardinal considered a hero by many Catholics but a traitor by some Jews and Serbs has moved a step closer to possible sainthood.

The head of the Vatican’s saint-making office, Cardinal Angelo Amato, said experts had approved a miracle attributed to Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac’s intervention.

Stepinac has been praised by popes and ordinary Catholics for his resistance to communism and refusal to separate the Croatian church from the Vatican during the war. But many Serbs and Jews accuse him of sympathizing with the Ustasha Nazi puppet regime that ruled Croatia at the time.

According to Tuesday’s Vatican newspaper, Amato said he told Pope Francis about the miracle and that he “was pleased by this important step.”

Francis must approve any canonization.