by Damir Dibra.

This is Milorad Vukojičić, known as “Pop Maca”; an Orthodox priest and member of the Chetnik movement during World War II, canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church.

He participated in crimes against civilians in the territory of Montenegro and Sanxhak. Of particular note is the murder of nine civilian women by his own hand, an act that has been cited as a symbol of the brutality of the Chetnik formations at that time.

Other evidence emphasizes that, although he was a priest, he carried weapons and acted as an active member of the Chetnik formations, participating in executions and acts of violence against the Albanian and Muslim population of the area.

What makes this story even more painful is the fact that decades later, he was canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church. This act was not experienced simply as a religious decision, but as a moral blow to the memory of the victims. For many, this was a relativization of the suffering of civilians and an attempt to shift the focus from the crimes to the narrative of “martyrdom.

Sources

Gong. “Antifascism in Montenegro – A Fundamental Value or a Dead Letter?” Accessed February 16, 2026. https://gong.hr/en/2015/05/15/antifascism-in-montenegro-a-fundamental-value-or-a/.

Novi Glas. “Ko je ‘Pop Maca Koljač’ koji je ubio majku Miše Janketića – Najsporniji svetac SPC, strijeljan 1945?” May 18, 2019. https://noviglas.info/2019/05/18/ko-je-pop-maca-koljac-koji-je-ubio-majku-mise-janketica-najsporniji-svetac-spc-strijeljan-1945/.

Osvrt. “Mišova posljednja poruka Crnoj Gori i Bijelom Polju.” Accessed February 16, 2026. https://www.osvrt.me/izdvojene-vijesti/misova-posljednja-poruka-crnoj-gori-i-bijelom-polju/.

Hrvatski Fokus. “Papa sluša četničke koljače.” March 2019. https://www.hrvatski-fokus.hr/2019/03/20325/