Željko Lovrić, better known as Don Dante, has announced that he is stepping down from his parish duties. Lovrić stated in a post on Facebook on Friday, 9 October, that he is facing serious threats and physical attacks, and that the case is in the hands of the police.
Lovrić stated that he has spoken with the bishop and that he is deeply shaken and frightened. He added that he currently does not feel able to perform his priestly duties. He also warned of several locations where, in his view, individuals connected to the intimidation are gathering.
In a statement, he noted that from this Sunday, 11 October, he will be unable to stand before the congregation at the new altar. He stated that he is in agreement with the bishop and that the matter is currently in the hands of the police, who are conducting a criminal investigation based on collected evidence, witness statements, and surveillance camera footage. Lovri added that he does not know who is behind the attacks, nor who is offended by what he does and for what cause.
He specifically urged caution among parents, stating that the attackers had approached from the park and had been watching for a month in order to lure him to the threshold of his home. He stressed that these were not schoolchildren, nor were they parents – they were hooligans. He drew attention to the local community, noting that such individuals were gathering on the roof above. He appealed to the police and the public to pay attention to the house in Kvašćeva, opposite the school, which is almost abandoned.
Lovrić thanked Ante Sučić, who in the past two months was the only one to believe that the intimidation was real, the only one who supported him and provided genuine assistance. He stated that the intimidation had almost driven him mad. He declared that, for the time being, he is a priest in need of prayer, and that holy masses and other services will be conducted by priests from the deanery. Due to his own safety, as well as the peace of the parish community, he must step down and will not be able to act as a priest. Parishioners will be informed in time about his further steps and decisions.
Lovrić is the priest of the Parish of Saint Leopold Mandić in Zagreb’s Ljubljana-Voltin district. In recent months, he has attracted public attention with his unconventional approach to faith and musical projects. He has drawn the interest of the wider public with his song 'Confession from the Asphalt', which blends rap, spirituality, and social critique, with additional attention drawn to the song 'Buzdovan', in which the artist Stephan Lupino appears. He is known for opening up his parish space to artists and people on the margins of society. He spoke about faith, society, and his work in the programme Nedjeljom u 2 hosted by Aleksandar Stanković, and he appeared as a guest in that HRT programme in April of this year. The artistic name was inspired by the dog Dante, who followed him everywhere.
