Zagreb, (IKA) – On Friday, August 22, a coordination meeting of the Committee for the Celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was held at the Archdiocesan See in Zagreb, according to the Public Relations Office of the Zagreb Archdiocese. At the meeting, presided over by the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, details of the program for the celebration were discussed, including the program schedule from Saturday, September 13, to Sunday, September 21.
The celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac will begin on Saturday, September 13, with a pilgrimage by young persons from the Zagreb Archdiocese to the Croatian National Shrine of Our Lady of Bistrica in Marija Bistrica. On Sunday, September 14, on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, there will be a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Bistrica by pilgrims from the city of Zagreb. On Tuesday, September 16, priests from the Zagreb Archdiocese will make a pilgrimage to Lepoglava and Krašić.
On Wednesday, September 17, a program for catechists on the theme of the celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Beatification of Cardinal Stepinac will be held, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Zagreb Cathedral, to be followed by a Mass at 6 p.m. during which there will be the formal entrusting of mandates to catechists. On the same day, Wednesday, September 17, at 8 p.m. at the Vijenac Auditorium, there will be a presentation of a book of homilies by Cardinal Josip Bozanić delivered in the Zagreb Cathedral on the Feast of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, entitled “The Blessed Alojzije Stepinac – A Heritage with Obligations.”
On Thursday, September 18, there will be Adoration before the Holy Sacrament of the Altar after the 6 p.m. Mass in the Zagreb Cathedral and in all the parishes of the Zagreb Archdiocese.
On Friday, September 19, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Vijenac Auditorium, there will be a symposium on Cardinal Stepinac, with emphasis on the reception of his life, work and beatification in the European context. On that day at 5 p.m., the secretary of state of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will bless the premises of the Croatian Catholic University at 242 Ilica Street.
On the morning of Saturday, September 20, Cardinal Bertone will meet with the bishops of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. At 8 p.m. on the same day, Bertone will lead a vigil at the Zagreb Cathedral at which young persons, Catholic movements and associations will be assembled.
Beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 21, the main Mass will be celebrated on the square in front of the Zagreb Cathedral, conducted by Cardinal Bertone. Because the main Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Mass will not be celebrated in the parishes on the territory of the city of Zagreb from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The president of the Committee for the Celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Beatification of the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac is Auxiliary Bishop Ivan Šaško of Zagreb.