The Russian Orthodox Church abroad and its communities in Yugoslavia during the Second World War

The article is devoted to the affairs of the administrative entities of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA, ROCOR) and the history of Russian ecclesiastic communities in Yugoslavia during the Second World War. In April 1941, Yugoslavia was occupied by Nazi Germany and its allies and the communities of ROCA were seriously limited in their affairs. The Russian emigrant community was split: one part of the faithful of ROCA joined various anti-Communist groups - among them the Russian Сorps, - while others expressed their dislike of the Nazis. The ROCA hierarchy as a whole attempted to stay neutral while trying to participate actively in the religious revival taking place on occupied territory of the USSR. However, German authorities did not allow Russian emigrant clergy to return to their homeland. In the fall of 1944, in light of the approach of the Soviet Army, the Synod of Bishops was evacuated to Germany where it remained until the end of the war.