Until 1944, about 400 students graduated from the seminary. Many of them perished in World War II, both from the fascist occupiers and the post-war Communist government. A school was forcibly expelled from Billiards. Knowing what to expect from the communists, Metropolitan Joanikije tried to escape with seventy priests Partisans captured them and shot the priests in Zidani most, and took Metropolitan Joanikija to Arandjelovac and after torturing and killed 18 June 1945, and buried in a hitherto unknown location.