Commemorative events were held in Republika Srpska to mark the Day of Remembrance for victims of the genocide of Serbs, Jews, and Roma during World War II. The central ceremony took place at the Donja Gradina memorial complex, one of the largest execution sites associated with the Jasenovac concentration camp.

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church led a memorial service at the Hrastovi burial site and addressed the gathered faithful. In his sermon, he described the location as both a symbol of immense suffering and a testament to spiritual endurance.

“Here, the voices of those who bore witness through their suffering to faith, love, and the dignity of the human person are heard most clearly,” the Patriarch said. He emphasized that honoring the victims requires not only words, but also “the silence of the heart and prayer.”

The ceremony also included remembrance of Jewish and Roma victims who perished during the existence of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), the World War II-era regime responsible for establishing the Jasenovac camp.

Within the Serbian Orthodox Church, victims of Jasenovac are venerated as saints, known as the “New Martyrs of Jasenovac.” These are individuals canonized for their suffering and steadfast faith during the genocide. Their commemoration began taking shape in the late 20th century, and since 2010, their feast day has been officially observed on September 13.

The Jasenovac concentration camp, established in 1941 by the NDH authorities, became the largest death camp in occupied Yugoslavia. It held and killed Serbs, Jews, Roma, as well as anti-fascists and other groups deemed undesirable by the regime.

According to the Donja Gradina memorial authorities, the total number of victims is estimated at around 700,000, including approximately 500,000 Serbs. However, the exact number remains a subject of ongoing historical debate.

A day of mourning was declared in Republika Srpska to coincide with the commemoration. Events began with a liturgy at the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Kozarska Dubica.

Serbian officials also attended the ceremony, including a delegation led by President Aleksandar Vučić, who laid flowers at the Donja Gradina memorial.

In his address, Patriarch Porfirije stressed that remembrance of the tragedy should serve not only as a reflection on the past, but also as a moral guide for the present.

“We come here not only to remember, but to learn—to preserve faith, to resist bitterness, and to remain people of peace, truth, and dignity,” he said.

The commemorations concluded with a collective prayer and an Easter greeting, symbolizing, according to clergy, “the triumph of life over death.”