Lanišće, (IKA) – Sixty years after the martyr’s death of the Servant of God Miroslav Bulešić, Croatian bishops and priests, together with bishops from Koper and Trieste, assembled in Lanišiće on August 24 and visited the parish rectory in which the young priest Miroslav Bulešić was killed on August 24, 1947. Precisely at 11:00 a.m., when Miroslav Bulešić was murdered, the prayer of the Divine Office began in the Lanišće parish church. The prayer was led by Cardinal Josip Bozanić with Croatian archbishops and bishops, two bishops from Koper, the bishop of Trieste and approximately 250 priests. At the beginning of the commemoration, those present were greeted by Msgr. Ivan Milovan, the bishop of Poreč and Pula, who expressed his joy that priests from all over Croatia had assembled in Lanišće on their first priestly pilgrimage. At the beginning of the sermon, Bishop Mile Bogović of Gospić-Senj spoke of Christ’s dying, which in the final analysis was oriented toward life. Such was the death of the Istrian priest Miroslav Bulešić. “We have found ourselves here not to condemn the tormenters but to become inspired by the example of Bulešić’s life and death as a witness and martyr. We also want to commemorate other priests, especially those who were killed during the Second World War and the early postwar years, particularly the victims of the Partisan hatred of the Church. The total number of priests and religious who were killed in today’s territory of Croatia is 302. In comparison with the number of priests in the year 1938, this means that approximately 15% of the active clergy were killed. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, twice as many priests, diocesan and religious, were killed. Most Catholic priests were killed by Partisans, and a smaller number by Chetniks. Only a small percent fell at the hands of others (8 were killed by Germans and Italians, 2 by Ustashas),” the bishop of Gospić-Senj pointed out during the sermon.
Bishop Bogović also emphasized that the present has its own difficulties. The times are not safe when a righteous person is considered disruptive, where he is considered to be a provocateur who must be at least slandered and besmirched, if it is not possible to remove him in a more radical manner. Of whom is it primarily expected to be the champion of the endangered, to defend truth and justice at the risk of one’s life? Clearly every person and every Christian is called to do this. However, we feel that in the first place we priests are called. We proclaim that there is no other path to salvation except the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The commemoration of the martyr’s death of the Servant of God Miroslav Bulešić with the assembly of Croatian priests and bishops in Lanišće was a great event for this parish, which suffered much during the communist era for its faith. Many have pointed out that the authorities at that time thought that with the murder of Miroslav Bulešić the people would be frightened, he would be forgotten and proclaimed an enemy of the people. However, that did not happen. It was precisely then that Mirosalv Bulešeić began to live in the hearts of the faithful of Istria. He became an example to the young and thousands come to pray at his grave.
Miroslav Bulešić (1920 – 1947) was a priest and educator at the seminary in Pazin. He died a martyr’s death on August 24, 1947. He was murdered in the parish rectory in Lanišće, in which that day an envoy from the Holy See had administered the sacrament of confirmation. Ten communist enemies of the faith killed the Rev. Miroslav with a knife and beat the emissary from the Holy See, Msgr. Jakov Ukmar.