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Thursday, November 12
Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite
Sinaxarion

Holy New Martyrs

New Martyrs of Velika and Gornje Polimlje

Orthodox faithful killed in 1944 in the village of Velika near Plav and in Upper Polimlje.

Feast
July 15old style July 28
Reposed
194420th century
Place
Velika (Plav), Gornje Polimlje
Order
Martyrs

Life

The New Martyrs of Velika and Gornje Polimlje are Orthodox faithful killed in 1944 in the village of Velika, near Plav, and in Upper Polimlje, in Montenegro. In the Velika massacre, on 28 July 1944, between 428 and 550 Serb civilians, mostly women, children and the elderly, were killed by the SS division "Prinz Eugen" and the SS division "Skanderbeg", as reprisal after a German military defeat. It is said that nearly half the village's population perished within a few hours.

The Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, meeting in May 2017, decided on their canonization. Their commemoration is on 15 July, old style (28 July, new style).

Commemorated the same day July 15