Beli Manastir, November 10, 1997 (IKA) — For the first time after six years, the Catholic faithful of Beli Manastir in Croatian Podunavlje (the Danube River Valley) celebrated the feast of St. Martin on Sunday, November 9, in the remains of their parish church. Over 600 believers participated in the Holy Mass, celebrated by Bishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Srijem together with numerous priests. The celebration began with a procession from the demolished parish rectory, in which young people wearing local folk costumes carried a new alter cross, a statute of Our Lady Help of Christians, a new chalice and new priestly vestments. At the beginning of the Mass, all the assembled parishioners, guests, representatives of various institutions, priests and bishops were greeted by the parish priest in exile, Josip Koš ak, who expressed joy that they were reassembled, “albeit in a demolished church but nevertheless in faith and love.” Speaking about the 220 years that the parish church in Beli Manastir has existed, the Rev. Košćak emphasized: “Although in its history, the church has never been so disfigured, we have come here first of all to pray and rejoice.” Bishop Srakić then addressed the assembled: “We have come in peace and love to celebrate our holy day. We are happy that we are together with those who remained in Baranja and happy to return here,” he emphasized, appealing to all “to put tears of sorrow, joy and hope and all our lives in the chalice of Christ#!s passion,” so that overall renewal will occur most of all “in the renewal of what is broken in oneself.”
On returning from Beli Manastir, the bishop visited demolished and burned churches and parish rectories in Čeminac and Darda.