Đakovo, (IKA/BTU) – On October 4 in the Đakovo cathedral – the minor basilica of St. Peter, the establishment of the Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province was celebrated with a Holy Mass led by the first archbishop and metropolitan of Đakovo-Osijek, Marin Srakić, in concelebration with the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari; the archbishop and metropolitan of Zagreb, Josip Bozanić; the bishops of the suffragan dioceses, Antun Škvorčević of Požega and Đuro Gašparović of Srijem; the auxiliary bishop of Đakovo-Osijek, Đuro Hranić, approximately twenty bishops from Croatian and neighboring countries, and approximately two hundred priests. Since October 4 was a pilgrimage day for the faithful of the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese, despite the rain and bad weather approximately 4,000 of the faithful assembled for the celebration, many of them in folk costumes and displaying banners from the synod. The celebration also assembled numerous representatives of other religious communities, as well as state and local officials.
The celebration began with a solemn entrance procession by representatives of all the parishes, synod members, seminarians and theology students, the presiding archbishop and concelebrants. Nuncio Cassari read the Pontifical Bull from Pope Benedict XVI, according to which the Đakovo or Bosnian Diocese shall be known in the future as the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese. The Pope decided that the Đakovo-Osijek Diocese, which separated from the metropolitan authority of the Church of Zagreb, would be elevated to the dignity of an archdiocesan metropolis of the Church. It was also decided that the newly established Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province would include the archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek and the dioceses of Požega and Srijem, and that Bishop Marin Srakić would be appointed as the first archbishop and metropolitan of Đakovo-Osijek. The nuncio also conveyed congratulations to Archbishop Srakić from the secretary of state of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, as well as from the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

The eucharistic celebration was enhanced by liturgical ceremonies in connection with the the elevation of the archdiocese. Archbishop Srakić ceremonially put on the pallium, a symbol of the metropolitan pastoral office, which had been presented to him by Pope Benedict XVI on the feast of SS. Peter and Paul, June 29.

Greeting Archbishop and Metropolitan Marin Srakić, Cardinal Bozanić spoke of the shared history of what are today two metropolises, beginning from the year 1852 when the Croatian-Slavonian Ecclesiastical Province was established for central and northern Croatia. However, circumstances have changed in recent times. Among other things, we have our own country and it is possible to work on the organization of the Church, which has not been fully completed, said Cardinal Bozanić. Cardinal Bozanić spoke of the community of the entire episcopate in creating the new organization of the Church in Croatia, emphasizing that this is not a matter of division or divestiture but of creating the prerequisites for improving the operation of the Catholic Church in Croatia and among the Croatian nation.

Speaking in the sermon about the significance of such a celebration and the new organization of the Church in Croatia, Archbishop Srakić emphasized the principle of the salvation of souls as the basis for the reorganization. Msgr. Srakić referred to recent historical events in Slavonia: the Homeland War in which one third of the territory was occupied and twenty thousand of the faithful were expelled. Archbishop Srakić also spoke of the special significance of the Second Synod of the Đakovo and Srijem Diocese, the decisions of which are now binding for the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese and the New Srijem and Požega Dioceses. “After the Homeland War and the severe suffering of western and eastern Slavonia, it became increasingly evident that the eastern part of Croatia has to become stronger. At the same time, we are of the opinion that Slavonia is not only a Croatian question but a general Catholic question. With the establishment of the Slavonian Metropolis, i.e. the Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province, Slavonia as a region that has obtained its own ecclesiastical regional identity and dignity,” emphasized Archbishop Srakić.
The bishops of the suffragan dioceses of Požega and Srijem, Msgr. Antun Škvorčević and Msgr. Đuro Gašparović, congratulated Archbishop Srakić on his appointment as archbishop and metropolitan, and expressed their readiness for cooperation in the new metropolis.
At the end of the celebration, Archbishop Srakić submitted the Final Document with the Statements and Decisions of the Second Episcopal Synod of Đakovo and Srijem.

The main celebration began on October 2 in the auditorium of the J.J. Strossmayer Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, with the first of four public presentations entitled, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “The Right Solution has been Adopted!” The celebration continued on October 3 in the cathedral of St. Peter with a commemoration, “The Mighty One Has Done Great Things for Us, and Holy is His Name!” (cf. Lk 1:49), during which the history of the archdiocese was presented in a musical performance.

Following the celebration in Đakovo, next Sunday, October 12, the elevation of the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese will be celebrated in Osijek. Celebration of the establishment of the new metropolis will take place on October 15 in Požega and on October 26 in the cathedral of the Srijem Diocese in Srijemska Mitrovica.