19th military and police pilgrimage to Marija Bistrica
The solemn Eucharistic service in the church on open of the beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was led by Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic and concelebrated by the Military Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, French Military Bishop Luc Ravello, Military Bishop in Bosnia and Herzegovina Tomo Vuksic and numerous priests.
This year as well we made pilgrimage for the 19th time on the first Sunday in October, to the Mother of God of Bistrica, wanting to show the relationship with all our history, as well as our relations to our veterans who were on the first military pilgrimage in 1993. Today’s presence on this pilgrimage shows the unity of people, army and police but also the values that saved us all these years of heavy and burden history.
Besides more than a thousand members of the army, police and firefighters, members of the historical forces and disabled war veterans and a multitude of believers from all over the Croatia, soldiers Catholics from the BiH Armed Forces have traditionally participated in the pilgrimage as well. The pilgrimage was also attended by the Parliament Speaker Luka Bebic, Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, envoy of the President Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovric, Defence Minister Davor Bozinovic, Minister of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship Djuro Popijac, and numerous other high military and civilian officials.
Concelebrated solemn Eucharistic celebration started by a solemn procession to the congress area where military and police forces carried wartime flags from 1991.
At the beginning of the Mass all the participants were welcomed by the host of the pilgrimage, Military Ordinary Msgr. Juraj Jezerinac calling all the gathered at the recollection and prayer for all those in need.
In the homily, Cardinal Vinko Puljic said that we have come to Marija Bistrica to strengthen our faith and stressed that the veterans during the Homeland war were not only wearing the rosary around their necks, but used it for praying. “The Rosary is a symbol of our redemption, because when we pray with the rosary, we think about the mysteries that God has given us through Our Lady from the One who redeemed us and freed. You were the ones who were defending freedom, praying for the spiritual strength to succeed in that, and now you are invited to preserve this freedom”.