Dubrovnik, (IKA) – On February 3, the central event of the commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Blaise and the 600th anniversary of the Dubrovnik law on the abolition of the slave trade assembled not only the Dubrovnik Church in its diversity but also the faithful, priests, religious, bishops and archbishops from other parts of the country and abroad in front of the Dubrovnik cathedral. A special guest was the envoy of Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian, the Primate of Lebanon.
Mass was celebrated by the papal envoy Vinko Cardinal Puljić, Archbishop of Sarajevo, in concelebration with thirty archbishops and bishops, as well as around a hundred priests. During the homily, he spoke about the two anniversaries being commemorated by Dubrovnik, and particularly warned of the dangers of modern forms of slavery in today’s world.
On this day, the 1,700th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Blaise, Cardinal Puljić pointed out that St. Blaise was a lay believer and physician, who chose Christ very early and clearly. As a physician, he saw man as a whole being and spirit, soul and body. The faithful recognized this and entrusted him with the office of bishop, a member of the apostolic corps. As bishop, he boldly proclaimed and witnessed the faith, for which he endured terrible suffering and was beheaded in the year 316. The saint’s head was brought to Dubrovnik as a precious relic in the year 1026. The cardinal emphasized that Christianity has flourished despite bloody persecutions and so many martyrs, and for the faithful the martyrdom of St. Blaise did not disorient them but confirmed them in their faith. Cardinal Puljić warned of indifference as a threat to the building of peace, and also spoke of a new paganism. “The greatest merit is faith in God, which builds the confidence from which and for which one lives. Only in this way can we recover from this sick atmosphere and gloomy public life.” The veneration of St. Blaise, who laid down his life in faith and for the faith for Dubrovnik and its people means that in their history “is woven this reality that there is something to live, sacrifice and die for.” This reality in everyone even today should strengthen such personal conviction. The cardinal drew attention to the misappropriation of God and the saints for personal goals and interests.
In reference to the great 600th anniversary of the Dubrovnik law on the abolition of the slave trade, the Archbishop of Sarajevo spoke of the courage of the Dubrovnik parliamentarians, inspired by Christian attitudes at the beginning of the fifteenth century. He noted that the Republic of Dubrovnik was among the first countries to do so in Europe and the world. England followed suit 391 years later and America 450 years later. The cardinal added that the credit for the initiative for such legislation belonged to Archbishop Antun of Rieti, a Franciscan and professor of theology, who led the Dubrovnik Church from 1409 to 1440. “Such an approach to cooperation between the legislature and the Church that proclaims the principle of faith and morality certainly creates true work for the common good of mankind. It should be reincorporated into the value structure of the person as God’s creation, not a commodity for manipulation by interested parties or individuals. It is important to celebrate this and be aware that every person is a creature of God, created in the image of God, and cannot become a commodity or a slave,” said the homilist. He cautioned that the criteria of earning and spending have been imposed upon the public, and the issue of slavery is once again current. Despite the proclaimed human rights and civil liberties, despite the recognition of the dignity of man, in order for a person to achieve as much as possible and have more to spend, these boundaries are not respected. The Archbishop of Sarajevo mentioned several types of human trafficking: the abuse and trafficking of women, the trafficking of children, extortion of migrants fleeing horrific warfare, the abuse of minors in the army, in the areas of terrorism and suicide, and criminal trafficking in human organs. To this he added the new addictions and modern enslavements of man, such as alcohol, drugs, technology, electronics and gambling. Such addiction often leads to crime, violence and robbery, and creates insecurity in the society. The society is often blamed for such a situation but the responsibility of the family is forgotten: “Is it not already the case in the family, where children are given everything for their entertainment, and them we teach them to enjoy themselves rather than to live. When these children grow up, they do not know how to cope with the challenges of life but instead escape into the area of addictions. It is necessary to bring up children for God because if we do not do so, in old age we cannot expect godly things from them, as evidenced by the many forgotten parents in our region.” The cardinal mentioned situations that adversely affect families, such as the choice to have an abortion in order to keep a job and the freezing of embryos, which should not be viewed as waste material. “It is necessary for us to understand the importance and value of the family nest, which social law must protect and help children to have parents, because it is the heart that raises children, and not the electronics and objects with which we entertain them.” said the cardinal. “Therefore, it is truly important in this Year of Mercy for man to return to the One who created us and truly loves us, who genuinely liberates us so that we can live in dignity and freedom.” Cardinal Puljić concluded his homily with Gundulić’s verses about freedom, noting that freedom—a great gift from God who loves mankind—must be achieved through responsibility.
Greeting all those assembled for the celebration, the host bishop, Msgr. Mate Uzinić, said: “It is not easy to understand us people of Dubrovnik and our ardor for St. Blaise and his feast day, which this year we are celebrating for the 1,044th time in the especially festive atmosphere of the 1,700th anniversary of his martyrdom and the 600th anniversary of the Dubrovnik law on the abolition of the slave trade, one of the visible fruits of our connection with St. Blaise, in whom God has manifested his merciful face but also given us Christians and Catholics the task of being merciful in our commitment to creating a better and more just world, in which all people would have equal dignity. Yes, it is not easy to understand us. For that, a subtle child’s soul is required.” He cited the example of a schoolgirl who recognized that St. Blaise is not only in statues and paintings but also in each of the inhabitants of Dubrovnik who spreads love and goodness.
At the beginning of the Mass, Msgr. Julien Kabore, an advisor of the Apostolic Nunciature in the Republic of Croatia, read the letter regarding the sending of the special papal envoy in Dubrovnik to attend this year’s jubilee celebration. At the end of the Mass, Bishop Uzinić read a letter addressed to Pope Francis from this celebration. The liturgical singing was led by the cathedral choirs joined by other vocal groups. The readings were read by a woman from Konavale and a man from Korčula who were wearing folk costumes, the psalm by one of the organizers, and the Prayer of the Faithful by a family with three children. During the presentation of the gifts, in addition to bread and wine were gifts symbolizing the Dubrovnik anniversaries. Young people from the diocese carried flags with the picture of St. Blaise before the priests who distributed communion. Thus, the entire diocese was present in various ways at this festive celebration and all voices merged into one when a hymn to St. Blaise was sung.
The Mass was also attended by the President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar Kitarović; the Mayor of Dubrovnik, Andro Vlahušić, and the County Prefect, Nikola Dubroslavić. Also present were representatives of other religious communities, including Vladika Grigorije Durić, the Bishop of Zahumlje-Herzegovina and Primorje; Sabrina Horović, President of the Jewish Community in Dubrovnik, and the Imam of Dubrovnik, Salkan Herić.