TEKIJE/PETROVARADIN, Aug 5 (Hina) - Zagreb Archbishop and the President of the Croatian Bishops Conference, Josip Bozanic, on Saturday held a Mass in Tekije outside Petrovaradin (northern Yugoslavia) on the occasion of the Day of Our
Lady of Snow, called by local Catholics as the Day of Our Lady of Tekije. Present at the solemn service were over 5,000 believers. According to Djakovo-Sirmium Bishop Marin Srakic who welcomed Msgr. Bozanic, this has been the first pastoral visit of Zagreb Archbishop to this part of the Sirmium Diocese in a few recent years, a period during which many suffered the hardship and many were forced to leave their homes in Vojvodina. During his sermon Archbishop Bozanic reminded the gathered of this year's Great Jubilee, namely the anniversary of Christ's birth. "Recollecting that event, important for us Christians, we must remove the feeling of hatred
TEKIJE/PETROVARADIN, Aug 5 (Hina) - Zagreb Archbishop and the
President of the Croatian Bishops Conference, Josip Bozanic, on
Saturday held a Mass in Tekije outside Petrovaradin (northern
Yugoslavia) on the occasion of the Day of Our Lady of Snow, called by
local Catholics as the Day of Our Lady of Tekije.
Present at the solemn service were over 5,000 believers.
According to Djakovo-Sirmium Bishop Marin Srakic who welcomed
Msgr. Bozanic, this has been the first pastoral visit of Zagreb
Archbishop to this part of the Sirmium Diocese in a few recent
years, a period during which many suffered the hardship and many
were forced to leave their homes in Vojvodina.
During his sermon Archbishop Bozanic reminded the gathered of this
year's Great Jubilee, namely the anniversary of Christ's birth.
"Recollecting that event, important for us Christians, we must
remove the feeling of hatred and animosity from us which lead into
the darkness, and we must take the path of salvation and future,"
the Roman Catholic dignitary said adding that the 20th century was
marked by big ideologies such as Nazism, Communism and nationalism
that caused many wars.
Zagreb Archbishop called on local Catholic faithful to try preserve
their national and religious identity and simultaneously respect
the identity of other people with who they live.
Besides Bozanic, about 20 priests from Sirmium parishes, Djakovo-
Sirmium Bishop Srakic, General Vicar for Sirmium, Djuro
Gasparovic, retired Bishop Ciril Kos, Belgrade Archbishop
Coadjutor Stanislav Hocevar, Zrenjanin Bishop Laszlo Huszevar and
the head of this shrine, Stjepan Miler, participated in the
service.
Present was also Serb Orthodox Bishop for Sirmium, Vasilije Vladic,
who, at the end of the Mass, thanked for the invitation of Mr. Miler,
and stressed he believed in the unity of the Catholic and Orthodox
faithful in that area.
In attendance were also the Belgrade-based Croatian Embassy's
charge d'affaires, Andrej Dogan, and Croatian consul in Subotica,
Jasmina Kovacevic.
Since 1716 pilgrims have gone to this shrine on August 5 to show
their reverence for Our Lady of Snow.
On Friday Zagreb Archbishop Bozanic arrived in Petrovaradin where
he commenced his four-day visit to the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (FRY).
(hina) ms