A resident of the village of Dubnica near Kalesija cleared snow from the access road and church grounds to allow his neighbours to attend Christmas liturgy, a gesture that has drawn widespread praise and highlighted interfaith coexistence in the area, local media reported.
According to Tuzlanski.ba, Ibro Jahić cleaned the path and the churchyard of the Church of Saints Joachim and Anne on Jan. 6, Orthodox Christmas Eve, enabling worshippers to attend the morning service.
“Our neighbour Ibro Jahić cleared the road and the church grounds this morning so that the Christmas service could be held at 8 a.m. in the Church of Saints Joachim and Anne in Dubnica. May God grant him health and our sincere thanks,” the Osmaci–Dubnica parish said in a post on its Facebook page.
The Dubnica parish covers the areas of Kalesija and Dubnica, as well as several surrounding villages, including Zolje, Brezik, Jeginov Lug, Zelina Dva and Tupković in the municipality of Živinice, where believers regularly attend religious services.
Jahić’s gesture prompted numerous positive reactions on social media, with users praising it as an example of good neighbourly relations, solidarity and mutual respect, particularly during religious holidays and in difficult winter conditions, local media said.
“Bravo, good Ibro. That’s how good deeds should be done,” read one of the comments shared online.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of Europe’s most ethnically and religiously diverse countries, home mainly to Bosniaks (predominantly Muslim), Serbs (Orthodox Christian) and Croats (Catholic), along with smaller minority communities. Relations among communities remain shaped by the legacy of the 1992–1995 war, which killed around 100,000 people and displaced millions.
The country is governed under a complex power-sharing system established by the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the conflict but entrenched ethnic divisions in political and administrative life. Despite frequent political tensions at the national level, many local communities continue to maintain traditions of coexistence and everyday cooperation.
Religious holidays often highlight both divisions and acts of solidarity, particularly in smaller towns and villages where communities live in close proximity. Gestures such as helping neighbours attend religious services are widely seen as symbolic reminders of post-war reconciliation and grassroots coexistence.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has faced repeated challenges from heavy winter snowfall in recent years, particularly in rural areas, where access to roads and public services can be limited. Local residents often rely on mutual assistance to ensure mobility and access to essential services, including places of worship.