Zagreb, (IKA) – The Holy Mass conducted by Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanić on Sunday, September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, was the culmination of the 277th traditional pilgrimage of the faithful of the city of Zagreb to the Croatian National Marian Shrine of Marija Bistrica. This year, the Zagreb votive pilgrimage began the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the beatification of the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac of Zagreb. “For to me, to live is Christ” was the pilgrimage model.
Despite heavy rain, the faithful filled the open-air church dedicated to the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac. The Mass was concelebrated by the Cardinal, together with the Auxiliary Bishops of Zagreb, Vlado Košić, Valentin Pozaić and Ivan Šaško; the secretary of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Msgr. Vjekoslav Huzjak; and priests serving in Zagreb. In addition to the mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandić, who this year again presented a votive candle at the altar on behalf of the citizens of Zagreb, the Mass was also attended by the prime minister of the Republic of Croatia, Ivo Sanader; the deputy speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Ivan Jarnjak; and the minister of culture, Božo Biškupić.
The cardinal recalled Stepinac’s beatification on October 3, 1998, “in this place,” as well as the words of Pope John Paul II: “‘In his human and spiritual journey, the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac gave his people a sort of compass to serve as orientation,'” to which Cardinal Bozanić added: “And certainly the needle in this compass was the cross of Christ.” Prior to the formal entrance procession, numerous faithful participated in the devotion of the Way of the Cross, led on the Path of Calvary in Bistrica by Bishop Pozaić.
The pilgrimage began on Saturday morning, when three large groups set out from Zagreb on foot. For the hikers on Slijeme, Mass was celebrated by Bishop Šaško, while for those who started out from Čučerje the celebration of the Mass in the parish church was led by Bishop Košić. The third group set out from Sesvete, where Mass was conducted by the pastor, Božidar Tenšek. All the groups met at the chapel of St. Ladislaus in order to make a formal procession of pilgrims and enter the shrine together with the archbishop and auxiliary bishops of Zagreb, joined by young people from the entire Zagreb Archdiocese, who had their pilgrimage on Saturday.

Within the framework of the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the beatification of Cardinal Stepinac and on the occasion of Priests’ Day of the Zagreb Archdiocese, on September 16 three hundred priests from the Zagreb Archdiocese made a pilgrimage to Lepoglava, Macelj and Krašić – places that are especially connected with the Blessed Stepinac and symbolize the many sufferings and misfortunes endured by both the clergy and lay faithful among the Croatian nation during the last century. Priests and religious from all the deaneries of the Zagreb Archdiocese began to assemble in Lepoglava during the early morning hours. They made pilgrimages to the memorial cell of the Blessed Alojzije in the Lepoglava prison in groups. The last group, led by the head of the Lepoglava prison, Zvonimir Penić, which included Archbishop Cardinal Josip Bozanić of Zagreb, Bishop Josip Mrzljak of Varaždin, Auxiliary Bishops Vlado Košić, Valentin Pozaić and Ivan Šaško of Zagreb; and the prison pastoral advisor, the Rev. Marko Šmuc, passed through the memorial cell and prison courtyard, where they saw the willow that Archbishop Stepinac mentioned many times in his texts.
After completing the tour of the prison premises in Lepoglava, there was a presentation at the church in Lepoglava entitled “The Blessed Alojzije Stepinac on the Way of the Cross of the Church and His Nation,” by the canon Dr. Stjepan Kožul, who spoke of the liquidation of priests beginning as early as the year 1942. The Rev. Kožul also issued the following appeal: “It would be desirable for the state of Croatia to have an institution or at least a significant group of experts with allocated funds for programs, which would study all the crimes and all the victims in a professional manner, uncontaminated by politics and ideologies.” Presenting a brief review of the archbishop’s tribulations and the period after the “most sorrowful trial” of 1946, Dr. Kožul spoke of Archbishop Stepinac’s time in Lepoglava, from October 19, 1946 to December 5, 1951. Dr. Kožul also recalled Stepinac’s numerous pastoral undertakings, through which, although incarcerated, he continued to be present in the Church of Zagreb and the Croatian nation.
At the beginning of the celebration of the Mass in the parish church in Lepoglava, all present, including Apostolic Nuncio Mario Roberto Cassari, were greeted by Bishop Mrzljak of Varaždin, who pointed out that the Blessed Alojzije was not alone in his prison confinement but was in constant communion with God and communication with his clergy, adding that it is precisely the pilgrimage by the clergy of the Zagreb Archdiocese to Lepoglava which demonstrates the exceptional community of the bishops and clergy. Cardinal Bozanić focused his sermon on Stepinac’s experiences and undertakings to promote priestly community.
Following the prayer of the Office of the Ninth Hour in the memorial chapel in Macelj, the priests made a pilgrimage to Krašić and visited the memorial room of the Blessed Alojzije. The pilgrimage concluded with the Adoration of the Eucharist in the parish church in Krašić. Cardinal Bozanić gave copies of his newest book, Blaženi Alojzije Stepinac – Baština koja obvezuje [The Blessed Alojzije Stepinac – A Heritage with Obligations] to those present.