Srijemska Mitrovica (IKA) – The central celebration of the “The Year of the Holy Srijem Martyrs” in Srijemska Mitrovica, formerly Syrmia, the commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of their martyrdom, began on the Feast of St. Demetrius, dean and martyr, patron saint of Srijemska Mitrovica, on October 26, with an assembly of pilgrims and a program of prayer, The Heritage in Song of the Srijem Martyrology. This was followed by a liturgical celebration before the Concathedral -Minor Basilica of St. Demetrius, after which, accompanied by the sounds of the concathedral bells and the bells of the Greek Catholic Church of the Ascension of the Lord, a parade set out toward the nearby site of the celebration of the Eucharist on St. Demetrius Square.

The celebration was conducted by the archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, in concelebration with the archbishop of Zagreb and metropolitan, Cardinal Josip Bozanić; the archbishop of Sarajevo, Cardinal Vinko Puljić; the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Francisco Javier Lozano, 27 archbishops and bishops from Croatia and other European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Germany) and 180 priests. In the crowd of the faithful there were also approximately six thousand pilgrims, the faithful of the dioceses of Đakovo and Srijem, Požega and
Subotica, and the archdioceses of Belgrade and Zagreb, pilgrims from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Irinej of Bačka as the delegate of Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Pavle, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Vasilje of Srem with his entourage, representatives of the Ministry of Religion of Serbia and Montenegro, the president of the Croatian National Council, the heads and representatives of all the Croatian Catholic educational associations, Hungarian Catholic educational associations, representatives of the persecuted and displaced Croats form Srijem in the Republic of Croatia, and Branimir Lončar, the ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Serbia and Montenegro.

Words of greeting were delivered by Bishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo and Srijem, who pointed out the following: “Truly, it is a holy and festive day which has assembled us to celebrate our patron saint, St. Demetrius, dean and martyr, and together with him all the holy martyrs of Syrmia and Pannonia, from two early Christian times, mentioned in the jubilee of the 1,700th anniversary, especially those who suffered martyrdom in the year 304. Our diocesan community of Đakovo and Srijem joins all of you who have come from many sides to share with us the joy of this great jubilee and with your participation to lend solemnity to our Christian assembly. My first word is an expression of the most profound gratitude for this significant assembly today. This is truly ecclesiastic solidarity with our Church that today wants to give thanks to God for the gift of courageous witness to the martyr . . . Not long after the time of the martyrs, the entire Church, especially the Church of Pannonia and Syrmia, bled due to the internal divisions brought by the Arian heresy. With God’s help and with the courageous and wise undertakings of the bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose, the Syrmian Church overcame the challenges of division.”

A letter and blessing from the Holy Father were also read. The Gospel was proclaimed in the Croatian language and then in the Old Slavic language, according to the Eastern Rite, signifying the participation of Greek Catholic priests and the faithful. In the introductory part of the sermon delivered in the Croatian language by Cardinal Tettamanzi, the rest which was read, the archbishop of Milan pointed out how St. Ambrose with his moral authority and even more, with his pure and firm conviction and passionate faith in Christ, knew how to arouse and strengthen the faith of Christians, also bringing peace to the Syrmian Church. He stated that to commemorate martyrs is an obligation and profound necessity of our faith, to which the Holy Father has urged us many times. The Pope urges us not to consider martyrdom as an event that belongs to the past but as an event that ceaselessly accompanies the life of the Church.

In words of greeting, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Irinej pointed out how the 1,700th anniversary of the martyrdom of the holy Srijem martyrs was commemorated with one heart together by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox believers and stated that the “ancient tradition and heritage of the common faith of the first centuries personified in the persons of the many holy Srijem martyrs and martyrs throughout the centuries until today is that which connects us and brings hope that we shall one day be able in full community and unity to hallow this magnificent celebration.

The auxiliary bishop and general vicar of Srijem, Đuro Gašparović, said the following in gratitude: “Thanks to all of you who have joined those us who live here in Srijem, for encouraging us and prompting us to look to the future. We are enriched by this encounter and celebration and have soaked up the riches and heritage of our Srijem martyrs.”

“The Đakovo and Srijem Diocese is rich. Martyrs are our gold!” said Bishop Srakić, presenting Cardinal Tettamanzi with a collection of gold coins, issued on the occasion of the third visit by the Holy Father to Croatia. Cardinal Tettamanzi presented, what he called “a small but precious gift,” the relics of St. Ambrose of Milan, one of the fourth great western fathers of early Christian history. During the celebration of the Eucharist, in addition to a large crucifix that was next to the altar during the Mass with the Pope in Osijek on June 7, 2003, relics of St. Anastasia were exhibited, that since 1976 have been kept under the main altar in the concathedral in Srijemska Mitrovica.

On the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the holy Srijem martyrs, the Đakovo and Srijem Diocese and the School of Theology in Đakovo under the sponsorship of the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, organized an international symposium on October 22 and 23 that assembled experts from Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, and Serbia and Montenegro. The intention of this scientific assembly was to present to the Christian and world public that which with its life and testimony created the culture of Europe that was then being born, on the moral ruins of what was then the East and the West, pointed out Bishop Srakić in Đakovo. During the symposium, in the foyer of the Central Diocesan Library and Archives was an exhibition presented by the Museum of Đakovo on the theme of Early Christian Certissia.

The main celebration of the great anniversary in Srijemska Mitrovica began with a formal dinner with the Service of Light which on Monday, October 25, was led by the Zagreb archbishop and metropolitan, Cardinal Josip Bozanić. Forty cardinals, archbishops and bishops from several European countries took part in a formal vigil.