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Vukašin Mandrapa (Serbian Cyrillic: Вукашин Мандрапа; died 1942/43) is a saint and a martyr of the Serbian Orthodox Church canonized as Saint Vukašin of Klepci (Свети Вукашин из Клепаца). Due to a lack of historical evidence, his existence is disputed.
Vukašin Mandrapa | |
|---|---|
 Fresco of Vukašin Jasenovački in Saint Sava Temple in Belgrade | |
| Born | Date unknown Location unknown |
| Died | 1942/1943 Jasenovac, Independent State of Croatia |
| Canonized | 1998 |
Even among those affirming Mandrapa's existence, there's a dispute about his surname and origin. Several sources claim his surname was Toholj, and some claim he was from the village of Lokve and not Klepci. The year of his death is also a matter of dispute, as some state he died in 1942[1] or 1943.[citation needed] According to one story, Vukašin was a farmer and merchant, born in Klepci.[2] Historian Ivo Rendić-Miočević emphasises that there are is no historical evidence of Mandrapa's existence,[3][4] while Serbian philosopher Aleksandar Pražić holds that the whole story about Mandrapa was made up.[5]
He and his family lived in Sarajevo and then returned to Klepci, but were arrested and sent to the Independent State of Croatia's Jasenovac death camp.[citation needed] Mandrapa was listed among the victims of Jasenovac in 2007 by the Serbian Fond for the Research of Genocide in Jasenovac.
According to testimony given in 1970 by neuropsychiatrist Nede Zec who was detained in Jasenovac, Mandrapa was singled out by a Croatian Ustaše, surnamed Friganović (first name Josip or Mile), who had observed his stoic behaviour during the forced labour days and the slaughter of prisoners at night.[6] During one night when prison guards made bets as to who could slaughter the most inmates, Friganović allegedly attempted to compel Mandrapa to bless the Ustaše leader Ante Pavelić. Mandrapa refused to do so, even after Friganović had allegedly cut off both his ears and nose after each refusal.[7]
"And when I ordered him for the fourth time to shout "Long live Pavelić!" and threatened to take his heart out with a knife, he looked at me, and by somehow looking through me and over me into uncertainty, he slowly and clearly said, "just [you] do your job, child."[8]
The executor then allegedly cut out Mandrapa's eyes, tore out his heart, and slashed his throat.[9][10] Pražić thinks Zec made up the story.[5]
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