THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PRIMORSKA REGION AND THE TREATY OF LONDON IN 1915

The article discusses the Catholic Church and its' relations with the Kingdom of Italy around the outbreak of First World War. It explicitly focusses on the role the Holy See and the local Catholic Church authorities in the Primorska region played in light of Italian territorial expansion tendencies even before it officialy joined the war in the Spring of 1915. It presents the Holy Father's peace efforts during the Great War and the opinions of bishops in the Primorska region towards Italy and it joining the War on the side of the Entente. The Catholic Church of the Primorska region entered the war hoping that the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, with a catholic royal family, the Habsburgs, at the helm, would live through it and that its' social structure, as they knew it, would persevere. An overwhelming majority of the clergy believed in these goals. Many a priest was willing to give his life for "faith, homeland and the Kaiser". The responsibilities of the clergy widened as the clashes between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armed forces escalated. Many priests didn't prepare themselves and their parishioners for the hard times they would know have to survive, because they underestimated the military strength of Italy under the influence of state propaganda and military leadership.