Dubrovnik, (IKA) — At the beginning of the ceremony of the beatification of the Servant of God Mary of Crucified Jesus Petkovic, Bishop Zelimir Puljic of Dubrovnik together with the postulator of the causes, Fr. Paolo Lombardo, approached the Holy Father and requested him to commence the act of the beatification of the Servant of God Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic: “Holy Father, as the bishop of Dubrovnik, I humbly request you to deign to number among the blessed ones the Servant of God Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic, the foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy.” Bishop Puljic spoke briefly on the life of the Servant of God to the faithful.

The Pope then recited the formula for beatification: “We, granting the request of our brother, the bishop of Dubrovnik, Zelimir Puljic, and many other brothers in the diocese and many of the faithful, having considered the recommendation of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, by our apostolic authority we hereby authorize that the Venerable Servant of God Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic shall henceforth be called Blessed, and may be commemorated every year on the date of her birth for heaven, July 9, in the places and in the manner prescribed by canon law. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Following the ceremony of the beatification of Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic, a painting of the new Croatian blessed one was unveiled on the altar by her biographer, Fra Atanazije Matanic, and the postulator of the cause, Fr. Paolo Lombardo. During singing in honor of the new blessed one, a procession of the faithful and priests presented the gifts and relics.

Then the bishop of Dubrovnik expressed his gratitude and that of the postulator for the beatification of the new Croatian blessed one: “Holy Father, as the Bishop of Dubrovnik, I thank you from my heart on my own behalf and on behalf of my nation, for having deigned to number among the blessed ones the Servant of God Mary of Jesus Crucified Petkovic.”

Following the ceremony, the Holy Father prayed that through the intercession of the new blessed one, “we would faithfully complete our mission in life and achieve perfection.”