South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-23

iidttu nliut having always IOunu IN
him a resolute adversary not only
OF their politics. but also of their
efforts to emancipate their church
from the control Of the Patriarch of
Constantinople, who Is considered
/ the head of the orthodox community
in the east.
Ii is no secret that ever since the
| accession Of King Ferdinand of Bull
garia the church Of Sofia has striven
TO win its independence from every
kind of control. and it was even ru-
mored that the king. together with
I the Bulgarian bishops, were work
| ing toward a union with Rome
which would leave the Bulgarian
church in the same position as the
Armenians and Copts-that is, as
Independent in questions of ritual
and discipline. but submissive TO the
pope in all matters connected with
dogmas. The Princess Clementne
OF Coburg, the mother Of the Bull
garian sovereign, had been most
anxious TO obtain such a union, and
it must be admitted that there was
strong party in Bulgaria which
was in favor of it, But every at
| tempt made in that direction was
strongly disaDproved of in Serbia.
and among those who denounced it
with the most energy was the bis
hop who has just gone TO his rest, a
| captive of his enemies, Monsignor
\ NikifOr.
Not An Old Man.
He was not yet an old man, this
| prince of the Greek church, who.
most likely. had died of a broken
heart in the presence OF all the
ca lamities that have fallen on his
| native land. He had scarcely
reached his 5Sth year. but the
fatigues and the anxiety of the war
had shattered a constitution which
had never been strong The Bishop
was an heroic figure, who, when
warned that the enemy was at hand.
refused TO seek in flight his per-
sonal safety, but remained at his
post, firm and resolute. Throughout
| the Serbian retreat Of 1915. he
watched over his flock with the ut
most tenderness and care.
One knew that he had harbored
in his house several Serbian officers
who were the objects of the special
hatred of the Austrians, and ne was
summoned before the Austrian COM
mander and asked whether this was
/ true.
! Certainly" replied the bishop. Il
have had these men in my house. l
have seen TO their wants. and 1 have
given them money and horses to es-
cape from you"
do you know that this may mean
death for YOU" retOrted the exas-
perated Austrian general
My life is worth very little to my
country" said the bishop calmly.
i am too old to fight. and besides
my vocation fOrbids me TO shed
blood. am, therefore. only use
less old man, but these young ones
can still serve our beloved father
land They have. besides. wives and
children. Their lives we're import
ant. ] only performed my duty; do
with me what YOU like"
Heroic Sacrifice \
A Bulgarian officer. who was pres
ent at this conversation. seized the
bishop by his beard and almost fell
ed him TO the floor Monsignor
Nikifor simply put his hand on the
| pastoral cross which hung around
his neck as If to protect il. a gesture
which the Bulgar saw and 10
which he retorted by trying to take
hold of that cross. but then the bis
hop stood up, and in a voice which
made all those who were in the room
reCoil from him, said:
You can do with me what YOU
! like he exclaimed. but l DEFY YOU
I to touch this cross. 1t is the image
OF the Redeemer. and that Redeem
er will yet avenge my wrongs and
those OF my country"
/ The Austrian general himself was
cowed by the energy with which the
/ old priest spoke. and he motioned
the Bulgarian officer away and re-
specially invited the bishop 10 sit
/ down, which the latter. however.
refused
! But his attitude had won for him
] the regard OF his enemies. and for
/ some months he was allowed TO re-
\ main at Prirzen. where he perform
\ ed with the same courage that he
Y had shown in those frst days OF the
\ invasion the mission of mercy he
\ had set himself to accomplish Many
\ days the old man went without food
\ in order 20 give something to the
multitude of starving women and
/ children who focked 10 Prirzen
\ from the plains OF Serbia. driven
away from their homes BY the
enemy. He showed himself quite a
I wonderful organizer. too. and thanks
20 him, a good many OF these ref
ugees found a shelter either in pri-
vate dwellings or in public buildings.
which he contrived 20 acquire for
the purpose Of housing the desolate
crowd that had been turned out Of
house and home.