25 Pilgrimage of CAF, police and Croatian defenders to Marija Bistrica

The jubilary Pilgrimage was attended by thousands of pilgrims of the Croatian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Homeland War Veterans, the Ministry of the Interior and other government institutions, defenders’ associations and the associations from the Homeland War, the  Firefighters Association, historical units and delegations from the neighbouring countries, joined by the Envoy of the President of the Republic, Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces General Mirko Šundov, the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, the Defence Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Marina Pendeš, the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of  Poland Antoni Macierewicz, the Minister of the Homeland War Veterans  Tomo Medved, the Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović and others. The Commander of the Pilgrimage was Major General Mladen Fuzul.
The solemn mass in the open-air church “Blaženi Alojzije Stepinac” (The Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac) open-air church was celebrated by the Archbishop of Zadar, Mons  Želimir Puljić,  who  in his homily on the occassion of the 25th anniversary of the Pilgrimage recounted the history and importance of the Marian shrines in Croatia. The Homeland War was a Calvary for Croatia, which did not surrender or lose faith but combated the evil, hatred and destruction. Everyone wanted to give his personal contribution to the peace, togetherness and the end of the war.
“We are today praying for peace, togetherness and expressing gratitude for the freedom we live in. Our thoughts are with all the Croatian defenders and fellow combatants  who have built their lives into our freedom. The Croatian soldiers, policemen and all defenders had recourse to the rosary and Cross from the earliest days of the Homeland War, which they helped us immensely to defend and to eventually liberate Croatia.
I am glad that we are demonstrating unity and synergy of all components of the Croatian security system as well as of the entire Croatian people. I am also pleased to host the Polish National Defence Minister and the Defence Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, confirming the friendly relations and shared values“, said  Minister Krstičević.
The Pilgrimage concluded with praying the Way of the Cross in the Calvary of the Shrine, and the Polish National Defence Minister  Antoni Macierewicz laid wreath at the monument dedicated to Saint Pope John Paul II.