Jasenovac, (IKA) – On April 3, the Day for the Renewal of Purification of Memory and Commemoration of Martyrs in the Požega Diocese, at the invitation of Bishop Antun Škvorčević, celebration of the Eucharist in the Jasenovac parish church was led by Archbishop and Metropolitan Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek, president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, together with the other bishops of the Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province, Bishop Antun Škvorčević of Požega, Bishop Đuro Gašparović of Srijem and Auxiliary Bishop Đuro Hranić of Đakovo-Osijek. Prior to the celebration in the parish church, the bishops visited the Jasenovac Memorial Site, where they were received by the director, Nataša Jovičić, and her associates, who showed them around the Memorial Museum commemorating the Jasenovac concentration camp.
A multitude of the faithful together with their priests arrived by foot from Novska and other parishes in the spirit of penance. In addition to the bishops, there were approximately 30 priests around the altar, including the general secretary of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Vjekoslav Huzjak. The municipal authorities were represented by the mayor of Novska, Antun Vidaković, and the mayor of Jasenovac, Marija Mačković.
The host bishop, Antun Škvorčević, emphasized that their act was at the highest church level because their prayer was led by Archbishop Srakić, not only as the metropolitan of the new Đakovo-Osijek Ecclesiastical Province but also as the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops. “We pause today before the mystery of evil that erupted in our territories with particular force during the regimes of the totalitarian systems during the 20th and multiplied the number of innocent victims to a horrifying level. We are deeply saddened by the facts that even today crimes perpetrated against innocent people are being concealed, that the number of victims is interpreted, minimized and manipulated, and that there is a lack of desire to investigate the whole truth and restore dignity to the victims. This is corroborated by what is occurring regarding the most recently discovered mass grave in Huda Jama, Slovenia. In the sincerity of the faithful, today in Jasenovac with our repentance and forgiveness we wish to express our respect for every victim, killed for any reason whatsoever and under any flag whatsoever, in any place whatsoever, from Jasenovac to Bleiburg and Vukovar, and to pray for all of them that God will embrace them with his love and show mercy to the murderers,” emphasized Bishop Škvorčević.
In the Act of Contrition and the Prayer of the Faithful, as well on the basis of texts prepared in Rome for the Day of the Purification of Memory and Remembrance of the Victims on the occasion of the Great Jubilee 2000, penance and forgiveness were professed for all the evil inflicted during the period of the totalitarian systems during the 20th century, and respect was expressed for all the victims as well as thanksgiving that many endured violence rather than join the ranks of the perpetrators.

During the Homily, Archbishop Srakić spoke about the weight of the evil and crime that occurred in our territories, especially in Jasenovac. “We have assembled here in Jasenovac, in a place where numerous innocents, men and women, were killed, at a place of extermination, at a place where bestial insanity prevailed. What Jasenovac is for the Croatian nation was expressed long ago, in 1943, by the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, archbishop of Zagreb and president of the Bishop’s Conference, when he sent a message to the authorities at the time that the Jasenovac camp was a “shameful infamy,” and the murders in it “the greatest misfortune of Croatia.” This judgment was also repeated by the bishops of the Croatian Conference of Bishops on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Unfortunately, the words of the martyred archbishop and the message of the Croatian bishops were not taken seriously. Nevertheless, we also repeat this judgment today! Archbishop Srakić then recalled how only some were permitted to speak about the Jasenovac camp for decades, and that which was done by the other side was not supposed to be found out or had to be forgotten as quickly as possible. He urged prayer and forgiveness for the victims and the perpetrators of crimes, and concluded: “May penitential pilgrimage to Jasenovac and the purification of memory make it possible to arrive at the truth in freedom, because memory or commemoration protects the truth and freedom! We pray for the moment when the whole truth will be investigated to come as soon as possible, not only regarding the Jasenovac camp but also other places of crime. Thus the weight of infamy will be lifted from consciences and shame from the history of our and every other nation.”
After the prayer following communion, a procession set off from the main square in Jasenovac bearing a likeness of Our Lady, during which prayers written by Pope John Paul II, based upon the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, were recited. Bishop Srakić concluded this penitential act with a prayer of surrender to the Mother of Jesus.