Sacred Places and Especially Churches in Canon Law

Crkve su kao i ljudi: u stoljetnom trajanju svjedoče, ranjive su u svom postojanju, »umiru« da bi se ponovno »rodile«. U ratu je neprijatelju često glavni cilj uništiti i razoriti ono što je drugoj strani najdragocjenije i najsvetije, a što je tijesno povezano s njezinim identitetom. Nažalost, ta je istina tako krvavo i grubo potvrđena i u nedavnom Domovinskom ratu za slobodu Hrvatske. Na Teologiji je u Đakovu 18. studenoga 2002. održan Studijski dan o gradnjama i obnovama sakralnih objekata. Tom su prigodom bile osobito naglašene građanske zakonodavne odredbe s obzirom na to pitanje. Ovaj je članak posvećen svetim mjestima ili kanonskim propisima koje treba obdržavati prigodom gradnje i obnove crkava. Sveta su ona mjesta koja se posvetom ili blagoslovom, što ih propisuju bogoslužne knjige, određuju za bogoštovlje ili pokop vjernika. Tu spadaju: crkve, kapele i privatne kapelice, svetišta, oltari i groblja. Zakonik kanonskoga prava, proglašen 1983. godine, na prvo mjesto stavlja crkve. Stoga je autor i dao naslov ovom članku: Sveta mjesta i osobito crkve... Zakonik djelomično mijenja pojam crkve. Nazivom se crkva označava posvećena zgrada određena za bogoštovlje u koju vjernici imaju pravo pristupa osobito da bi javno obavljali bogoštovlje. Nijedna se crkva ne smije graditi bez izričitog napismeno danog pristanka dijecezanskog biskupa. I sam je biskup dužan obđržavati određene kanonske uvjete prije davanja svog pristanka. Prema Ugovoru između Svete Stolice i Republike Hrvatske o pravnim pitanjima, potpisanom u Zagrebu 19. prosinca 1996., nadležna tijela Republike Hrvatske neće uzimati u obzir molbe za lokacije crkvenih objekata bez prethodnoga pisanog pristanka dijecezanskog biskupa (čl. 11., stavak 3.). Iz rečenog proizlazi da je pristanak dijecezanskog biskupa prijeko potreban, a samim tim, on je i najodgovorniji za gradnje crkava u svojoj biskupiji.Churches are like people: witnessing through centuries, they are existentially vulnerable, and »die« that they might be »born« again. The enemy often has, as its objective in war, to destroy what is most precious and holy to the opponent and that which is very closely linked to its identity. Unfortunately, this was true and maliciously confirmed in the recent homeland War for the liberation of Croatia. In Đakovo on 18th November 2002, at the Faculty of Theology, a seminar was held on the theme of construction and restoration of sacred edifices. Special emphasis was placed on civil legislative regulations. This article discusses sacred places or canonical ordinances that need to be observed during the construction and restoration of churches. Sacred places are those dedicated or blessed, as prescribed by liturgical books, assigned to divine worship or to the burial of the faithful. Included are: churches, oratories, private chapels, shrines, altars and cemeteries. The Code of Canon Law, promulgated in 1983, gives primary importance to churches. The author has therefore, titled this article: Sacred Places and Especially Churches. The Code of Canon Law in part amends the term church. It is considered a sacred building intended for divine worship, to which the faithful have right of access for the public exercise of divine worship. No church is to be built without the express and written consent of the diocesan Bishop. The Bishop himself is obliged to uphold the prescribed canonical conditions before giving his consent. According to the Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia concerning legal issues, signed in Zagreb, 19th December 1996, the authorised institutions of the Republic of Croatia will not take into consideration a request for a building permit for a sacred edifice without the explicit written approval of the diocesan bishop (Art. 11, Para. 3). Having said this, the conclusion is that the approval by the diocesan bishop is more than necessary, and therefore, he is the most responsible for the construction of churches in his diocese