The Sanctian Church (Kresi: Svetišna Crkva) was the dominant religious institution of the ethnic Kresimirian people prior to the founding of the Divine Republic of Kresimiria in 1921. Based on the worship of Lord Kresimir and the teachings of the Prophet Zvonomir, it served as the theological and cultural bedrock of the northern provinces under the Vosti Empire.
Following the victory of the Centralist Faction in the Kresimirian Unification War, the Sanctian Church underwent a radical transformation. Through the ratification of the 1921 Constitution, the independent church structure was absorbed into the state apparatus, evolving into what is now known as Kresimirianism. Its hierarchy was formalized as the Council for Divinity, effectively ending its status as a private religious organization and establishing it as a branch of the federal government.
History
Imperial Era (1450–1918)
The Sanctian Church emerged in the medieval period, solidifying its theology around the Books of Kresimir between the 5th and 13th centuries. During the expansion of the Vosti Empire, the church served as a unifying cultural force for the Kresimirian principalities in the north (modern-day Severnivaraje, Viskogorje, and Sinj).
The church’s survival within the multi-ethnic empire was guaranteed by the Imperial Edict of Tolerance (1642). This decree granted protected status to both the Sanctian Church and the Pravoslavic Faith (dominant in the southern Bosken lands), allowing the Sanctian clergy to maintain their own schools and temples independent of the Imperial court in Vost. This era saw the founding of Karlovac University in 1825 by Sanctian intellectuals, which became the primary seminary for the faith.
The Revolutionary Transition (1918–1921)
Following the collapse of the Vosti Empire in 1918, the Sanctian Church played a pivotal role in the Kresimirian nationalist movement. The Revolutionary People’s Council, led by Filip Novak, relied heavily on religious rhetoric to mobilize the population against the Eastern Pravoslavic Confederacy.
Key religious figures, such as High Priest Kresimir Paskovic (later Chancellor Kresimirovic I) and the young theologian Kresimir Basic, provided the theological justification for the war, framing the unification of the Kresimirian lands as a divine mandate. The church’s resources and network of parishes were utilized to support General Dominik Loncar’s military campaigns.
Integration into the State
The establishment of the Divine Republic in 1921 marked the end of the Sanctian Church as an autonomous entity and its rebirth as the state religion. This transition was codified in the Constitution and realized through the creation of federal institutions.
Formation of the Council for Divinity
The ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Sanctian Church was dissolved and reconstituted as the Council for Divinity, a federal executive body headquartered in Sinj.
- Administrative Control: The leadership of the faith, formerly selected by internal clerical processes, became subject to state appointment. The High Diviner is appointed by the Divine Chancellor and confirmed by the Assembly.
- Theological Monopoly: The Council was granted the exclusive constitutional right to interpret scripture and certify the clergy, known as Diviners.
The Clergy as Civil Servants
Under the new Republic, the role of the priest transformed into that of a state official. Article 5 of the Constitution, known as the Faith Restriction Clause, empowered Diviners to issue “Divinity Certificates.”
- Gatekeepers of Citizenship: Possession of this certificate became a requirement for voting. Consequently, the clergy gained the power to grant or revoke citizenship based on religious adherence, fusing their spiritual duties with the enforcement of state power.
- Education: Under Article 38, the clergy were mandated to lead local state-certified schools, ensuring that the national curriculum aligned with Kresimirianist doctrine.
Loss of Independence
While Kresimirianism retains the theology of the Sanctian Church, it lacks institutional independence. The church cannot legally oppose the state, as it is the state. This integration has historically aligned the faith with the policies of the ruling parties, first the RPP and later Blue Dawn.
- Political Dissent: Resistance to this centralization led to the formation of the Sons of Kresimir party in 1924 by Kresimir Basic. Basic argued for “Theocratic Centralism” where the state serves the church, rather than the pragmatism of Novak where the church serves the state.
- Modern Era: Today, the Council for Divinity acts as a parallel judiciary for citizenship appeals, but its funding and appointments remain under the control of the Chancellor and the Assembly.
Theology
The core beliefs of the Sanctian Church—monotheism, the veneration of Prophet Zvonomir, and the sanctity of the Books of Kresimir—remain the foundation of modern Kresimirianism. The primary difference lies in the application; whereas the Sanctian Church focused on community and salvation, state Kresimirianism emphasizes national unity, obedience to the Republic, and the divine destiny of the Kresimirian people.