Split, (IKA) – On Saturday, May 7, at a celebration of the Mass led by the Archbishop of Zadar, Msgr. Želimir Puljić, the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska and the city of Split celebrated the feast day of their heavenly patron, St. Domnius (sv. Dujam), an early Christian bishop and martyr. Words of welcome were delivered by the host, the Archbishop and Metropolitan of Split-Makarska, Msgr. Marin Barišić. Speaking about St. Domnius and his example of openness and respect for others, every person, Archbishop Barišić also spoke of the Emperor Diocletian. “To be closed toward others and what is different, intolerance of differences and the violent imposition of unanimity, emphasis on one’s own egoism and self-sufficiency, have been the enduring danger of the presence of Diocletian, transformed into various systems of dictatorships and ideologies, even liberal democracy,” said the Archbishop of Split. In a way, we encounter the essential characteristics of Diocletian and Domnius today in all of us, from the one side in our egoistic exclusion and aggression, and on the other side in our human openness and respect for the other.” Domnius’ successor, Archbishop Barišić, then asked: “Fourteen centuries after the Christianization of the Croats, has the time finally come for maturity, the time of our confirmation – confirmation of humanity and faith? Has the time come for a transition from the selfish egocentrism of the individual, party, government and opposition into a mature, conscious person open to dialogue and the society, where Domnius’ language of the value of openness and respect, justice and solidarity, the common good and unity, to all of us in the city of Split and the homeland of Croatia, will be our everyday, understandable and acceptable language? I believe that it is! That is why we ask his intercession today and celebrate him.”
In the homily, Archbishop Puljić of Zadar spoke about the Blessed Pope John Paul II and his pleas for the protection of human dignity and life, but also against the exclusion of God from private life and public life. He then recalled how Croats remembered the Pope’s appeals in his three visits to Croatia and “due to his active engagement in the war when, with a raised voice, on several occasions he sought to stop the hand that kills.” In the Pope’s fearlessness, during the war he wanted to visit the besieged city of Sarajevo, although the powerful in the world could not guarantee his safety. “Nevertheless,” recalled Archbishop Puljić, “from Castel Gandolfo he sent an ardent plea to heaven and to people. How can we not remember those wonderful liturgies and touching pleas that the Pope uttered, with his gaze toward Sarajevo and Bosnia, his voice raised: ‘We are with you and we will be even more with you.'” Concluding the sermon, Archbishop Puljić said that the pleas and prayers of the Blessed John Paul II were reflections of his certainty in faith but also an expression of his concern for the future of the world. At the end of the sermon, Archbishop Puljić reminded everyone that the martyrdom of St. Domnius, his blessed death, lasting protection and the concern with which he has followed us for centuries have given Christians “reasonable cause” already here, on earth, through the Holy Liturgy, to celebrate ‘life after death.'”
In addition to Archbishop Barišić and the main celebrant of the Mass, Archbishop Puljić, five more bishops and approximately seventy priests participated. The Mass was preceded by a solemn procession with the saint’s relics from the cathedral to an altar set up on the coast of Split. This year’s celebration of the feast of the patron saint of Split was devoted to the family and preparations for National Family Day. Seven engaged couples from the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska participated in the Presentation of the Gifts.