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Tomislav, the First Crowned King of the Unified Croatian Kingdom on the Adriatic – Part 2

Published on: by KOFPB

King Tomislav – consolidation and expansion of the Croatian Kingdom

Although Tomislav inherited a powerful and organised state, he was immediately threatened by the Magyars from the north and by the Bulgarians from the east. The banates of the former Adriatic Red Croatia (Zahumlje, Duklja and Travunia) remained subjected to the Byzantine Empire’s political and cultural influences, whilst Pannonian Croatia was subjected to the Frankish Empire. According to Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in his work “De administrando imperio”, Tomislav’s army consisted of 100,000 infantry and 60,000 cavalry, whilst his navy consisted of 80 large ships (Sagenas, which transported 40 mariner-warriors each) and 100 small ships (Konduras, which transported 10 to 20 mariner-warriors each, excluding rowers). The population of Croatia, based on its military strength as stated by Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, was estimated to be approximately 2 million.

From 898, the Magyars invaded and plundered Pannonian Croatia. As a result of the Magyar raids into Pannonian Croatia, Adriatic White Croatia and Pannonian Croatia renewed the political ties and the future Bans of Pannonian Croatia were no longer subordinate to Frankish kings but to Croatian Kings. In 914, Tomislav successfully defended his Croatian lands from Magyar raids, defeating them on several occasions on the territories of Adriatic White Croatia and Pannonian Croatia. Tomislav expanded his control into Pannonian Croatia and defended the northern stronghold of Sisak. After being totally defeated by the Croatian forces, the Magyars abandoned their aspirations of invading Rome, retreated over the Drava River, and refrained from waging wars against the Croatians for nearly two centuries. By 915, Pannonian Croatia was incorporated into the state of Adriatic White Croatia by Tomislav, and was no longer subordinate to Frankish kings. It is possible that Tomislav was formally proclaimed as king of a united Croatian Kingdom by Croatian chieftains and nobles when the two states were unified in 915. During the reign of Tomislav, the Venetian navy under the command of Bragadin was defeated in a naval battle near the island of Vis in 922.

“Tomislav, the first Croatian king” by Ferdinand Quiquerez 1888. The painting depicts Župan Zaharija of Rasica seeking sanctuary and protection from King Tomislav

By 921, the Bulgarians controlled nearly all of the Byzantine territories in the southern Europe, including Rascia (a former principality of Red Croatia which was inhabited by Croats and Serbs). In 924, Tsar Symeon I sent an army to crush the revolt in Rascia under the rule of Župan Zaharija, but the Bulgarians were insufficient in number and were defeated. It is likely that Tomislav aided Rascia in its battle against the Bulgarian Empire. After the defeat, Symeon I commenced peace talks with the Byzantine Empire, but summoned a large army against Rascia with the support of Časlav Klonimirović. Upon news of the impending invasion, Župan Zaharija and some of the Rascians fled to Croatia, to the protection of Tomislav. The Bulgarian army devastated Rascia, imprisoned many of the nobles, and relocated most of the population to Bulgaria, while some escaped to the Byzantine Empire.

Under the imminent threat from the powerful Bulgarian Emperor Symeon I, in circa 923, King Tomislav, Byzantine Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, Patriarch Nicolas Mysticus of Constantinople and Pope John X were involved an agreement that formally transferred the control of Byzantine Dalmatian islands and cities of the Theme of Dalmatia to Croatia (including Krk, Cres, Rab, Zadar, Trogir, Split, Dubrovnik and Kotor). Tomislav was given the honorary title of Protector (proconsul) of the Theme of Dalmatia, and was provided with a crown sent from Byzantium. In 924, Tomislav of Croatia was formally and internationally recognised as the King of Dalmatia and Croatia by the Holy See through his acceptance of the crown from the Pope. Tomislav was formally referred to by Pope John X as “…Tomislav, King of the Croats (Tamisclao, regi Chroatorum)”.

According to the Annals of Bari, on Monday, 10 July 926, during the feast day of St. Felicitas, Croatian forces under the supreme command of King Tomislav achieved a significant military victory by conquering the southern Italian city of Siponto in Apulia. The chronicle states that Tomislav dispatched his entire army and navy, led by Ban Mihajlo Višević (referred to by the chronicler as rex Sclavorum), with the mission to expel the Saracens from southern Italy and liberate the city of Siponto. Although they did not maintain permanent control over the city, some regions of southern Italy were settled by the Croats, who were eventually assimilated into the local population by the 12th century.

In 927, Bulgarian Tsar Symeon I made preparations to conquer the newly established Kingdom of Croatia and its vassal states of Zahumlje, Duklja and Travunia (under the rule of Ban Mihajlo Višević). Although the Bulgarian Empire and the Kingdom of Croatia were at peace at the time, Symeon I wanted to conquer the Croats in order to punish them for their protection of the Rascians, and for also establishing political relations with the Byzantine Empire who the Bulgarians were at war with. Symeon I also feared that King Tomislav, as an ally of the Byzantines, would attack the Bulgarian state from the east if the Bulgarians launched another major military campaign against the Byzantine Empire. In Spring of 927, a large Bulgarian army invaded the Kingdom of Croatia from the east, but the Bulgarian advance was cut off by Tomislav’s forces in the mountain ravines. The Bulgarian army was completely decimated (cut down to a man) in the Battle of the Bosnian highlands, dated to 27 May 927. Upon hearing of the total defeat, Simeon I died of a heart attack, around 3 June 927. After the death of Symeon I “…the neighbouring peoples, Croats, Magyars, and others, decided to attack the Bulgarians.’’ Pope John X sent Bishop Madalbertus and Duke John of Cumae to Bulgaria to mediate a peace treaty between the Kingdom of Croatia and the Bulgarian Empire which was ruled by Symeon’s son Peter (927 to 969), as written in the Minutes of the Church Synod in Split in 928, and in the “Korčulan Codex”. At the time of the peace treaty, the Kingdom of Croatia was the most powerful state in south-eastern Europe.

Arabic sources also confirm the political and military power of the Croatian Kingdom under the rule of King Tomislav. During his rule, Tomislav continued with the long-lasting diplomatic relations and a military alliance with the western Arabic Saracens of the Emirate of Córdoba, which was first established in 762 between Ban Budimir Svetolik (752-780) and Abd-ar-Rahman I (756-788). The military alliance lasted until the rule of King Stjepan Držislav (969-997). Abd-ar-Rahman III, the most powerful Emir and Caliph of Córdoba (912-929) had official diplomatic deputies at the Croatian court of Tomislav, and as a sign that mutual respect and friendship, Tomislav and Abd-ar-Rahman III equally exchanged rich gold gifts and ruling insignia. Prior to the reign of Tomislav, rebel Arabic Saracen pirates frequently raided the Adriatic Coast, captured over 20,000 civilians, and sold them into slavery in the Caliph of Córdoba. During his rule, Tomislav negotiated with Abd-ar-Rahman III for the freeing of Croatian slaves who had the right to bear arms. In addition, many Croats migrated to Moorish Spain as diplomatic ties were strengthened. Through this process, the Croatians became the third most numerous ethnic groups in Moorish Spain after the Arabs and the Spaniards, and were commonly referred to as Maurohrvati (Moorish Croats). Many of the young men formed the Elite Guard of Slavic legionnaires (in excess of 6,000) and, under the command of Hadjib Badr (Badrov, an Islamised Croat originating from Korčula), became the shock troopers of the Moorish army. Abd-ar-Rahman III introduced Croatian legionnaires (referred to as saqaliba) into his court, to neutralise the endless strife between his subjects of Muslim Arab and Muslim Berber heritage. Many of the Croats rose to the ranks of generals, admirals, emirs and mayors in the Emirate of Córdoba. The Elite Guard aided Abd-ar-Rahman III in destroying the Berber rebellion, and drove out many of the rebels out of Spain and into Africa.

Source: A History of the Early Croats – Ante Mrkonjić

Bog i Hrvati

King Tomislav – years prior to and the Coronation 

King Tomislav – and the Roman Catholic Church

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Jubilarno ograničeno izdanje za 125. obljetnicu

U duhu svetog sjećanja i nacionalnog ohrabrenja, izrađen je ograničen broj jubilarne „Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice“ kako bi se proslavila 125. obljetnica posvete 160.000 mladih Hrvata Presvetom Srcu Isusovu 1900. godine. Ova jubilarna krunica ima dvostruku misiju: sjećanje i ohrabrenje.  SJEĆANJE Sjećati se svete prošlosti našeg naroda, našeg saveza s Kristom i Njegovom svetom Katoličkom Crkvom...Continue reading→

Croatian Covenant Rosary – 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition

In the spirit of sacred remembrance and national encouragement, the “Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica” (Croatian Covenant Rosary) 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition has been created to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the consecration of 160 000 young Croatians to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in AD 1900. This Jubilee edition rosary bears a twofold mission: to...Continue reading→

Do Not Fear, Little Flock

Message 580 – “Do Not Fear, Little Flock” From the blue book “Marian Movement of Priests”, Zagreb (Croatia), September 20, 1996. Italian priest, Fr. Stefano Gobbi (1930. – 2011.) Our Croatian people have endured significant suffering throughout the centuries, particularly in the face of aggression from the Ottoman Turks, satanic forces, and the communist regime...Continue reading→

Always and Everywhere be True Sons of the Church

In the history of the Croatian people, faith, family and nation have always been inseparably woven together like the Croatian pleter, forming the backbone of our identity. Few embodied this truth more courageously than Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, whose unwavering fidelity to Christ and His Church stood as a beacon of hope in times of...Continue reading→

“You, at least, strive to console me.” – Time is Running Out to Respond to Our Lady’s Call

Published on: by KOFPB

Nearly 100 years ago, on December 10, 1925, a quiet miracle unfolded in the small Spanish city of Pontevedra. Sister Lucia, the last surviving seer of Fatima, was staying with the Dorothean Sisters when she received an extraordinary vision. Before her appeared the Blessed Virgin Mary, radiant and sorrowful, with the Child Jesus at her side. Our Lady held in her hand a Heart encircled with thorns—a vivid symbol of the pain caused by the blasphemies, sins, and ingratitude of mankind.

With sorrow in His voice, the Child Jesus spoke:

“Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother, which is covered with thorns that ungrateful men drive into it at every moment, without anyone making an act of reparation to remove them.”

Then Our Lady, showing her wounded Heart, said:

“See, my daughter, My Heart surrounded by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it constantly with blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, strive to console me.”

Our Lady then continued:

“Announce that I promise to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation all who, for five consecutive first Saturdays, go to Confession, receive Communion, pray five decades of the Rosary, and meditate for fifteen minutes on its mysteries with the intention of making reparation to Me.”

Sister Lucia later documented this vision in a letter to Monsignor Manuel Pereira Lopes, her former confessor during her time at the Asylum of Vilar in Oporto, Portugal.

Why Now?

Men, look around. The world is spiraling deeper into moral confusion. Families are broken. Men are absent. Churches are empty. Blasphemies are louder, and reverence grows cold. We were warned that if Our Lady’s requests were not heeded, Russia would spread her errors, nations would suffer, and the Church herself would face persecution. These things are no longer warnings of the future—they are the headlines of today.

And yet, Our Lady gave us the remedy—a humble, sacrificial devotion, done in silence, done with love, done with faith.

Why the Five First Saturdays?

Because there are five kinds of offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1. Blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception
2. Against her perpetual virginity
3. Against her divine maternity, refusing to accept her as the Mother of God and of men
4. Against those who seek publicly to implant in children’s hearts indifference, scorn or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother
5. And those who directly insult her holy images

This devotion is not just an act of private piety—it is an act of reparation. A manly stand against the sins of the world. A way to say, “I will not be indifferent. I will not let the Mother of God suffer alone.”

The Final Hour of the Century

Brothers, August 2025 is the last First Saturday you can begin this devotion and complete it within the 100-year window of the original request. This centenary moment is a divine invitation—a door of grace flung open. Will you walk through it?

Let us not waste this final hour. Let us not be among the ungrateful. Let us rise—as knights, as fathers, as Catholic men—and respond to Our Lady’s plea.

Let us console the Heart of our Mother.

Let us make reparation.
Let us defend her honour.
Let us receive the graces she longs to obtain for us.

The time has come. Time may be running out but God’s grace does not.

Do not let this unique opportunity pass you by. Begin this August.

Knights, men of courage and fidelity, let us rise to this call. Let us not be counted among the indifferent or ungrateful. Let us, at least, strive to console her. Be among those who hear: “You, at least, strive to console me.”

To Jesus through Mary

Meditation on Our Lord’s Most Precious Blood

Meditation on Our Lord’s Precious Blood by Fr. Johann Zollner “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled.” (Pet. 1:18-19) On this day, the Church celebrates...Continue reading→

Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled.” (Pet. 1:18-19)   The Precious Blood of Our Lord is the charism of the Knights. According to the...Continue reading→

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Jubilarno ograničeno izdanje za 125. obljetnicu

U duhu svetog sjećanja i nacionalnog ohrabrenja, izrađen je ograničen broj jubilarne „Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice“ kako bi se proslavila 125. obljetnica posvete 160.000 mladih Hrvata Presvetom Srcu Isusovu 1900. godine. Ova jubilarna krunica ima dvostruku misiju: sjećanje i ohrabrenje.  SJEĆANJE Sjećati se svete prošlosti našeg naroda, našeg saveza s Kristom i Njegovom svetom Katoličkom Crkvom...Continue reading→

Croatian Covenant Rosary – 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition

In the spirit of sacred remembrance and national encouragement, the “Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica” (Croatian Covenant Rosary) 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition has been created to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the consecration of 160 000 young Croatians to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in AD 1900. This Jubilee edition rosary bears a twofold mission: to...Continue reading→

The Vices and other Very Grievous Sins

The Vices and other Very Grievous Sins 1 Q. What is a vice? A. A vice is an evil disposition of the mind to shirk good and do evil, arising from the frequent repetition of evil acts. 2 Q. What difference is there between a sin and a vice? A. Between sin and vice there...Continue reading→

The Main Kinds of Sins

The Main Kinds of Sins 1 Q. How many kinds of sin are there? A. There are two kinds of sin: original sin and actual sin. 2 Q. What is original sin? A. Original sin is the sin in which we are all born, and which we contracted by the disobedience of our first parent,...Continue reading→

Tomislav, the First Crowned King of the Unified Croatian Kingdom on the Adriatic – Part 1

Published on: by KOFPB

This year marks the 1,100th anniversary of the coronation of King Tomislav, a pivotal figure whose leadership united the Croatian principalities into a formidable medieval kingdom. In this three-part article series, we will explore the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Croatia’s first crowned king, whose reign represents a critical foundation of Croatian national identity and Catholic heritage. Part one will examine King Tomislav’s rise to power and the historical context of early Croatian statehood. Part two will delve into his military prowess and diplomatic achievements that established Croatia as a respected European power. Finally, part three will explore his relationship with the Catholic Church and the lasting spiritual legacy he imparted to the Croatian people. King Tomislav’s virtues of courage, faith, and unwavering commitment to both nation and Church continue to offer powerful inspiration for Croatian Catholic men today. In these challenging modern times, the story of Tomislav provides not merely historical knowledge, but a template for authentic masculine leadership rooted in both Croatian patriotism and Catholic devotion—qualities that have sustained our people through eleven centuries of trials and triumphs.

King Tomislav – years prior to and the Coronation

King Tomislav, the first crowned king of a unified Croatian kingdom on the Adriatic. While the exact year of his coronation is debated by historians, and whether he was indeed the first internationally recognised Croatian king, the anniversary is officially associated with the year 925. This date is based on the legend of the coronation of Tomislav at Duvno Field, and the diplomatic letter written by Pope John X in which he refers to “his dear son Tomislav, king of the Croats”. The coronation is regarded as a significant event in Croatian history, symbolising the unification of the Croatian principalities into a medieval kingdom, in accordance with the European political sphere.

In 1906, the society of “The Brethren of the Croatian Dragon (Braća Hrvatskoga Zmaja)” first established the idea, and became the driver of the all-Croatian celebration, to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of the establishment of Croatian kingdom. In the lead up to the commemoration in 925, King Tomislav became a symbol of national pride and identity during a historical period when Croats were in a struggle for their very physical and political survival. Illustrations of Tomislav and his crowning were used by the Croats to emphasize the autonomy and independence of the Croatian Kingdom in the light of denying the existence of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, a state that the Croats neither wanted, nor formally recognised by the Croatian Diet (Sabor). On 8 May 1925, church celebrations began in all Croatian regions on the occasion of the Catholic Youth Day in honor of the 1,000th anniversary. On 31 May, 400 pilgrims traveled to Rome on a great Croatian pilgrimage to commemorate the elevation of Tomislav to the royal title. The central church celebration was held on 21 June 1925, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a solemn mass in the Zagreb Cathedral, led by the Archbishop of Zagreb, Antun Bauer (1856–1937). During 1925, a series of cultural and artistic events in over 150 towns and cities across the Croatian lands, numerous memorials were erected in honor of King Tomislav, and a large number of streets and squares were named after him, including King Tomislav Square in Zagreb (1927).

Tomislav Trpimirović of Nin was the elder son of Ban Muncimir II of Adriatic White Croatia (892-910), and grandson of Ban/King Trpimir of Adriatic White Croatia (845-864) . He succeeded as Ban of Adriatic White Croatia between the years 910 and 914. According to the “Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja”, Tomislav succeeded his brother, which may mean that another son of Muncimir II ruled between 910 and 914. “Historia Salonitana” stated that Tomislav was Ban of Croatia in 914. Since the historical sources about Tomislav are scarce, the exact year of his accession and of his death are not known.

Tomislav may well have been elected as Ban of Adriatic White Croatia at the Diet of Croatian nobles, which represented the twelve tribes of White Croatia. The twelve tribes were: the Karinjani and Lapčani (from Karin and Lapac, possible descendants of Lobel), Polečići (from Poličnik), Tugomirići (decedents of Tuga from Karlobag in Podgorska County and Poljica), Kukari (possible descendants of Klukas and originating from Vrlika), Snačići (also referred to as Svačići), Gusići, Šubići, Mogorovići, Lačničići (Lasničići), Jamometići and the Kačići. During this period, Adriatic White Croatia was divided into 14 counties (administered by Župans), consisting of Livno, Cetina, Imotski, Pliva, Pset, Primorje, Bribir, Nona, Knin, Sidraga, Nin, Lika, Krbava and Gacka.

“The Coronation of King Tomislav” by Oton Iveković, 1905

Based on oral legends and writings of Croatian historians such as Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski (1816-1889), Tomislav was formally re-crowned in 925 as king at a Croatian Diet at Duvno (Dalma) field, near the old Illyrian city of Delminium (the ancient capital of the Delmatae tribes), which was renamed Tomislavgrad in the king’s honour. The Diet was attended by all representatives of the Croatian tribes as well as representatives from the Holy See in Rome. Ban Mihajlo Višević of Zahumlje also recognised Tomislav as his king, and Zahumlje bacame a vassal of the Kingdom of Croatia (and Dalmatia). It was the first time in history that the Croatian states and principalities on the Adriatic, which covered over 112,000 square kilometres, were unified under the one Croatian crown. The unified Croatian kingdom stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Mura, Drava and Danube (Dunav) Rivers, to Vukovar and to the Sava River at Brčko in the north; from the Raša (Arsa) River in eastern Istria to Srijem; and the Drina River to Goražde in the east. It included Zahumlje and the Neretian islands of Vis, Brač and Hvar, and formally incorporated some Dalmatian cities that were previously under the Theme of Dalmatia. The kingdom included Pannonian Croatia (including present-day north-western Croatia and Slavonia), all of present-day Bosnia and most of present-day Hercegovina. Other Dalmatian cities that remained within the Theme of Dalmatia under nominal Byzantine rule, including Trogir, Zadar, Split, Rab, Krk and Osor, continued to pay tribute to Tomislav.

Source: A History of the Early Croats – Ante Mrkonjić

Bog i Hrvati

King Tomislav – consolidation and expansion of the Croatian Kingdom 

King Tomislav – and the Roman Catholic Church

Video Links

The First King of CROATIA | Is TOMISLAV the GREATEST King in Croatian History?

USPON KRALJEVINE | Hrvatska od Branimira do Tomislava (879. – 925.)

Frankish chronicles refer to “Rex Tirpimerus” and “Regnum Croatiae”. In Trpimir’s own charter of his gift of the Sveti Juraj (St George) Church refers to his state as “Regnum Chroatorum”. Artefacts from the rule of Dmitar Zvonimir refer to “regum predecessorum… Tirpimirus et Muntimirus (predecessor kings… Trpirmir and Muncimir)”. Gottschalk of Orbais (808 to 867, Saxon Benedictine monk and scholar who was under the protection of Trpimir’s court between 846 and 848) in his work “De Trina deitate” referred to Trpimir as “rex Sclavorum”. Other chronicles such as “Ljetopis Pop Dukljanin”, “De regno Dalmatiae” and “Illyricum Sacrum” all refer to Trpimir’s title as “Rex” and his state as “Regum”, meaning ‘king’ and ‘kingdom’ respectively. The declaration or charter in Bijaći (present-day Kaštela) which stated “…by the mercy of God, Ban of the Croats (Dux Chroatorum)…” is also interpreted as that only God is greater than Trpimir. Based on these references to royal title, it is likely that Ban Trpimir; like his successor and youngest son Ban Muncimir II, was considered to be an independent ruler of his own kingdom, meaning his title may have actually been Kralj (King) of Adriatic White Croatia rather than Ban. Ban Trpimir’s court, like that of Ban Mislav before him, resembled that of other feudal states during the Medieval period, included priests and chamberlains, and his court was regularly frequented by the most respected župans and nobility.

The noble title ‘Ban’ was only used by the Croats from ancient times to designate the legal representative of the king, similar to that of the titles ‘Viceroy’ or ‘Duke’. Up to the establishment of the kingdoms of Croatia in 924 and Bosnia in 1377, all Croatian rulers of the Croatian principalities from 626 held the title ‘Ban’. Historian Stjepan Krizin Sakač connected the title of Ban with statements from two Persian dictionaries (released in 1893 and 1903); the noun ‘bàn’ (lord, master, illustrious man, chief), suffix ‘bân’ (guard), and the Sasanian title ‘merz-bân’ (marz-bān) as the early Croats originated from the Iranian-speaking Sarmatians and Alans. Franjo Rački (1828-1894, and prominent Yugo-Slavist) was the first Croatian historian to claim (without any substantiated evidence) that all Croatian rulers were titled as ‘Knez’ and not as ‘Ban’ in common with the titles of other Slavic rulers. All historians prior to Franjo Rački, including Ivan Lučić, Anselmo Banduri, Juraj Ratkaj, Pavao Ritter-Vitezović, Josip Mikoci and Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, referred to the Croatian ruler as ‘Ban’ (Banus) and not Knez. After Franjo Rački’s unsubstantiated claim, all historians commenced using the term ‘Knez’ instead of ‘Ban’.

 

 

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Jubilarno ograničeno izdanje za 125. obljetnicu

U duhu svetog sjećanja i nacionalnog ohrabrenja, izrađen je ograničen broj jubilarne „Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice“ kako bi se proslavila 125. obljetnica posvete 160.000 mladih Hrvata Presvetom Srcu Isusovu 1900. godine. Ova jubilarna krunica ima dvostruku misiju: sjećanje i ohrabrenje.  SJEĆANJE Sjećati se svete prošlosti našeg naroda, našeg saveza s Kristom i Njegovom svetom Katoličkom Crkvom...Continue reading→

Croatian Covenant Rosary – 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition

In the spirit of sacred remembrance and national encouragement, the “Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica” (Croatian Covenant Rosary) 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition has been created to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the consecration of 160 000 young Croatians to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in AD 1900. This Jubilee edition rosary bears a twofold mission: to...Continue reading→

Do Not Fear, Little Flock

Message 580 – “Do Not Fear, Little Flock” From the blue book “Marian Movement of Priests”, Zagreb (Croatia), September 20, 1996. Italian priest, Fr. Stefano Gobbi (1930. – 2011.) Our Croatian people have endured significant suffering throughout the centuries, particularly in the face of aggression from the Ottoman Turks, satanic forces, and the communist regime...Continue reading→

Always and Everywhere be True Sons of the Church

In the history of the Croatian people, faith, family and nation have always been inseparably woven together like the Croatian pleter, forming the backbone of our identity. Few embodied this truth more courageously than Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, whose unwavering fidelity to Christ and His Church stood as a beacon of hope in times of...Continue reading→

Under the Banner of the Sacred Heart: 125 Years of Croatian Consecration

Published on: by KOFPB

“Mladež roda hrvatskoga… svečano obeća, da će se pod barjakom Presvetog Srca Isusova hrabro i neustrašivo boriti za vjeru i za dom.”
(“The youth of the Croatian people… solemnly promise to bravely and fearlessly fight for faith and for homeland under the banner of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.”)

This line from the 1900 Consecration Prayer of Croatian Youth deserves to be proclaimed from every rooftop and echoed in every Croatian heart. It is a history worth repeating.

A Call to Consecration Today

The bishops of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference decided to consecrate the Croatian people and the Croatian homeland to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the jubilee year 2025, at the 69th plenary session held in Zagreb from November 12 to 14, 2024. Interestingly, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was June 11, 1999, it was one hundred years since Pope Leo XIII consecrated the entire world to the Heart of Jesus.
The act of consecration will take place on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 7 p.m. (Croatia time), in churches (and chapels) throughout Croatia, and will begin with the ringing of bells for five minutes. After the ringing, the solemn Eucharistic celebration will begin. After the Communion Prayer, the Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will follow. Therefore, the bishops of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference have prepared an appropriate prayer of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for this occasion. source

Exactly 125 years ago, in the jubilee year of 1900, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a spiritual army rose from the Croatian people. In Zagreb alone, 160,000 young Croatians—an astonishing number for the time—consecrated themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This was not merely a devotional gesture; it was a national pledge of faith and fidelity.

This event remains one of the most profound moments in Croatian Catholic history. These young men and women, conscious of their identity as ‘predziđe kršćanstva’ (the bulwark of Christianity), offered themselves not only as believers, but as spiritual soldiers under Christ’s banner—pledging to defend both faith and homeland.

The Original Consecration Prayer (Croatian)
Mladež roda hrvatskoga, tog predziđa kršćanstva, u svetoj ovoj godini, na svršetku staroga i na osvitu novoga vijeka, Svetosti Tvojoj, Kristovu na zemlji Namjesniku nepogrešivomu, prostrta ponizno pred Tvojim nogama, svečano obećaje, da će se pod barjakom Presvetog Srca Isusova hrabro i neustrašivo boriti za vjeru i za dom. U znak ove žrtve srca našega, evo Ti, Sveti Oce, zlatno srce predragoga Spasitelja našega, puno svakovrsnih duhovnih djela, koje na Tvoju nakanu i prema velikome srcu Svetosti Tvoje žrtvovasmo Presvetom Srcu Isusovu. I potpisi ruku naših neka podaju vječnoj spomeni sve što obećasmo i učinismo. A da to izvesti uzmognemo, smjerno molimo očinski Tvoj blagoslov, zalog milosti nebeske za sebe, za svoje roditelje i odgojitelje, te za sav narod hrvatski. U Zagrebu, glavnom gradu Hrvata, na blagdan Presvetog Srca Isusova 1900.

English Translation of the Consecration
The youth of the Croatian people, that bastion of Christianity, in this holy year, at the end of the old and the dawn of the new age, prostrate themselves humbly at Your feet, Your Holiness, Christ’s infallible representative on Earth, and solemnly promise to bravely and fearlessly fight for faith and for homeland under the banner of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. As a token of this sacrifice of our heart, we offer You, Holy Father, the golden heart of our most precious Saviour, filled with an array of spiritual deeds, which we have, for Your intention and in honour of the great heart of Your Holiness, sacrificed to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. And let the signatures of our hands serve as eternal remembrance of what we have promised and done. But in order to fulfil our vow, we humbly beseech Your fatherly blessing, as a pledge of heavenly grace for ourselves, for our parents and educators, and for all the Croatian people. In Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 1900.

The Sacred Heart Is Not Sentimental – The most popular devotion
Speaking of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (no. 166) recalls that;

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. In addition to the liturgical celebration, many devotional exercises are connected with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Of all devotions, devotion to the Sacred Heart was, and remains, one of the most widespread and popular in the Church.

 

There is no doubt that devotion to the Heart of the Savior was and is one of the most widespread and most popular expressions of church devotion.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is not a passive or emotional piety. For Croatian men throughout history, it has symbolised strength: a heart pierced but burning, crowned with thorns yet triumphant.

Croatia had men’s associations dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – picture early 1900

One such man was Petar Perica, a 19-year-old high school student from the Travnik Seminary. To mark the 1900 consecration of Croatian youth to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he composed the lyrics to the hymn “Do nebesa nek se ori” (“To the heavens let it resound”), a powerful anthem of spiritual and national dedication. The music was composed by Milan Smolka, a young Jesuit then serving as a master at the Travnik Seminary. This hymn became emblematic of the Croatian Catholic spirit—bold, joyful, and unwavering in its fidelity to Christ.

After completing high school, Perica joined the Society of Jesus and became a devoted apostle to the youth of Dalmatia. But his mission ended in martyrdom: in 1944, he was executed without trial by Communist partisans on the island of Daksa near Dubrovnik, alongside 53 other prominent citizens, including six priests. For more than sixty-five years, his body lay in a mass grave until a proper funeral was held in June 2010. His remains were then laid to rest in the Jesuit section of Boninovo cemetery.

Perica’s blood sealed the vow of a generation. His life and death testify that devotion to the Sacred Heart is not sentimental, but sacrificial. It is a soldier’s devotion—calling men to be strong in faith, resolute in virtue, and courageous in defending the truth.

This is the legacy of Croatian men: not passivity, but prayer; not fear, but fidelity. The Sacred Heart has always been a soldier’s devotion—calling men to be leaders in faith, protectors of family, and warriors for truth.

A Prophetic Voice (Glasnik Srca Isusova, 1910)

Proslavi li se svečano ova prva desetogodišnjica, onda će se proslaviti jamačno i svaka daljnja, osobito peta, koju će neki mladi još doživjeti, i deseta tj. stota godišnjica prve posvete, godine 2000., koju ćemo, ako Bog da, gledati s neba. Na taj će se način drvce, što ga je hrvatska mladež posadila 1900., sve iz nova prolistati i cvasti i uroditi plodom života. A pod njegovom će stoljetnom krošnjom hrvatska mladež još uvijek pjevati Srcu Isusovu: ‘Dušom tijelom vijek sam tvoj, za krst časni bijuć boj.’

Translation: If this first ten-year anniversary is solemnly celebrated… the sapling planted by Croatian youth in 1900 will sprout and bloom anew. And under its century-old canopy, Croatian youth will still sing to the Heart of Jesus: ‘With my soul and body forevermore I am Yours, fighting an honourable battle for the Cross.’

As one of the many expressions of devotion to the Heart of Jesus (along with the litany, the act of reparation, the nine first Fridays, etc.), the Church particularly emphasizes personal consecration and the consecration of the family. In this regard, the aforementioned Directory emphasizes (n. 171):

Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus are numerous. Some have been explicitly approved and frequently recommended by the Apostolic See. Among these, mention should be made of the following:

  • personal consecration, described by Pius XI as “undoubtedly the principal devotional practice used in relation to the Sacred Heart”(185);
  • family consecration to the Sacred Heart, in which the family, by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony already participating in the mystery of the unity and love of Christ for the Church, is dedicated to Christ so that he might reign in the hearts of all its members (186);

Let this 125th anniversary be a call to reconsecrate ourselves, our families, and our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Let the Sacred Heart reign:
• In your home – Enthrone His image and pray as a family.
• In your work – Bring faith into business, service, and responsibility.
• In your manhood – Be strong, holy, and uncompromising in truth.

Let Croatia once again be a beacon of love, burning brightly from the Heart of Christ.

Za krst časni bijuć boj — Fight the Good Fight

Let this be the year when a new generation of Croatian men take up the banner—becoming guardians of the Heart of Christ, defenders of their families, and lights in a world that grows dim.

The Sacred Heart is not a relic of the past. It is the banner of our future.

Sacred Heart of Jesus – Have mercy on us!

RESOURCES

Čin posvete hrvatskoga naroda i hrvatske domovine Presvetomu Srcu Isusovu 2025 PDF

The Crusade of the Sacred Heart Consecration -125th Anniversary

Family consecration and Home Enthronement

 

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Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Jubilarno ograničeno izdanje za 125. obljetnicu

Published on: by KOFPB

U duhu svetog sjećanja i nacionalnog ohrabrenja, izrađen je ograničen broj jubilarne „Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice“ kako bi se proslavila 125. obljetnica posvete 160.000 mladih Hrvata Presvetom Srcu Isusovu 1900. godine.
Ova jubilarna krunica ima dvostruku misiju: sjećanje i ohrabrenje.

 SJEĆANJE
Sjećati se svete prošlosti našeg naroda, našeg saveza s Kristom i Njegovom svetom Katoličkom Crkvom te vjernosti naših predaka. Kao što nas podsjeća ovaj citat:
„Postojimo već više od trinaest stoljeća. Sama činjenica da smo počeli postojati kao poseban narod prije trinaest stoljeća i da još uvijek postojimo danas nešto je izvanredno, nešto što nosi duboko značenje i neiscrpnu vitalnost i određenu misiju.“
Sveta sidra i simboli našeg hrvatskog identiteta urezani su u dva središnja elementa ove krunice: „Zavjetni križ“ i „Zavjetna medaljica“.

OHRABRENJE
Potaknuti svakog hrvatskog katolika da živi sveti zavjet koji nam je povjeren, da živi svoj krsni identitet vjerno, konkretno i hrabro u svakodnevnom životu i pozivu. Naši su preci prenijeli plamen vjere, sada je naše vrijeme da ga nosimo, održimo gorućim i prenesemo ga budućim generacijama.
Božanskom providnošću, Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica nastala je kao živi dokaz moći i važnosti molitve Svete Krunice u hrvatiskim obiteljima. To je najveće duhovno oružje koje nam je povjereno u borbi protiv sotone, njegovih demona i sila tame.

KRUNICA ISTKANA NITIMA NACIJE
Prožeta vjerskom, povijesnom i kulturnom baštinom, svaki element krunice je temeljito osmišljen kako bi nas podsjetio na našu bogatu hrvatsku povijest. Zamišljena je ne samo kao predmet pobožnosti, već i kao simbol zajedništva Hrvata diljem domovine i iseljeništva – zajednička molitva, zajednička misija i zajedničko srce.

HRVATSKI ZAVJETNI KRIŽ: SPOMENIK VJERE I NACIONALNOG PAMĆENJA
Iskovan 1979. godine u povodu jedanaest stoljetne obljetnice papinskog blagoslova kneza Branimira i hrvatskog naroda, Hrvatski Zavjetni Križ nije samo raspelo, već nacionalni katekizam iskovan u bronci. To je svečani proglas, koji odjekuje kroz stoljeća i danas, da je hrvatski narod kršten u ime Isusovo u davnim vremenima i da je ostao čvrst u svojoj katoličkoj vjeri kroz progone, nevolje i žrtve.
.

Ovaj križ stoji kao svjetionik naše svete povijesti, povijesti natopljene krvlju, vjernošću i Božjom providnošću. Okrunjen je krstionicom kneza Višeslava Ninskog (oko 800. godine), koja nas podsjeća na svete vode kroz koje je Hrvatski narod ušao u kršćanski svijet i kulturni krug kršćanske Europe. Kristov lik preuzet s najstarijeg poznatog hrvatskog raspela u samostanu sv. Franje (12. stoljeće, Zadar), pruža ruke i zagrljaj vjernom puku, okupljajući narod da u svetom Križu nađu utjehu i spas duše.

Svaki detalj na križu je iz bogate hrvatske povijesti, što je dokaz stare kršćanske povijesti Hrvata.

S Kristove desne strane: Branimirov natpis iz Šopota kod Benkovca, najraniji zabilježeni spomen imena “Hrvat” (DVX CRVATORVM), uklesan u kamenu pod znakom križa – simbola i suvereniteta i vjere.

S njegove lijeve strane: Gospa Velikog Hrvatskog Saveza – najstarija poznata slika Blažene Djevice Marije u Hrvatskoj, rustikalni je, ali duboko nježan marijanski reljef isklesan u 11. stoljeću u blizini Knina. Kasnije ovjekovječen u zlatu i srebru, stoji kao bezvremenski svjedok stoljeća marijanske pobožnosti utkane u samo srce hrvatskog identiteta.

U podnožju Križa: Branimirov križ, Ključevi sv. Petra i jubilarni datumi 879. – 1979., koji obilježavaju naše nepokolebljivo zajedništvo sa Svetom Stolicom, koje je prvi put formalno priznao papa Ivan VIII. kada je blagoslovio hrvatski narod i njegova kneza, a tisućljeće kasnije potvrdio papa sv. Ivan Pavao II., koji je još jednom blagoslovio hrvatski narod tijekom proslave jubileja Branimirove godine 1979.

Drevni hrvatski pleter utkan kroz Križ spaja nebo i zemlju, motiv star kao i sama nacija, simbolizirajući vječnu vezu između božanskog i ljudskog. Križ je osmišljen povodom jubilarne Branimirove godine pod vodstvom tadašnjeg zadarskog nadbiskupa Marijana Oblaka, čija je vizija bila ostaviti trajni spomen na taj velik i važan jubilej.

Iste godine, Hrvatska biskupska konferencija sastavila je Ispovijed vjere Hrvata katolika, što je trajni dokaz jedinstva u vjeri. Potaknuli su da se moli svake večeri u 21:00 sat, pozivajući hrvatske obitelji da budu živa crkva, nudeći svakodnevni čin vjernosti Kristu i Njegovoj Crkvi.

Ispovijest vjere Hrvata Katolika
Čvrsto vjerujem u Boga Oca, i Sina i Duha Svetoga. Životom želim potvrditi svoj krsni savez s Bogom i tako obnoviti sveti pradjedovski zavjet vjere u Isusa Krista i vjernosti Katoličkoj Crkvi. Svoju odluku polažem u Bezgrešno Srce Presvete Bogorodice Marije.

Najvjernija odvjetnice, na braniku stoj, čuvaj našu svetu vjeru i hrvatski dom. Amen.

Na poleđini križa upisane su naše obveze, naš svečani odgovor na darovanu milost. Hrvatski biskupi su 1979. godine donijeli slogan kao nalog za duhovni život utemeljen na molitvi i svetoj žrtvi mise: „Hrvatska katolička obitelj dnevno moli i nedjeljom slavi misu“.

Na okomitoj prečki križa, nalazi se natpis na glagoljici koji je i naš nacionalni moto: „Bog i Hrvati“. U podnožju je hrvatski povijesni grb. Ti elementi: Bog, Obitelj, Domovina – hijerarhijski su raspoređeni, odražavajući sveti redoslijed hrvatske odanosti i dužnosti unutar saveza.

Godine 1979., papa Ivan Pavao II., slijedeći primjer pape Ivana VIII. jedanaest stoljeća ranije, udijelio je svoj apostolski blagoslov hrvatskom narodu tijekom Jubileja. U tom trenutku, Hrvatska je obnovila svoje zavjete predaka pred Bogom i svijetom. Zavjetni Križ ostaje trajni znak te obnove: ikona sjećanja, poziv na ustrajnost i potvrda da je hrvatska duša oduvijek bila katolička.

ZAVJETNA MEDALJICA ZA 125. GODINA OBLJETNICE POSVETE SRCU ISUSOVU
Središte krunice je „Zavjetna medaljica”, inspirirana posvetom 160 000 hrvatske mladeži Presvetom Srcu Isusovu 1900. godine – neviđenim činom nacionalne pobožnosti.

Zlatno srce darovano papi Lavu XIII. 1900. godine

Slika Presvetog Srca na medalji odražava stvarno zlatno Presveto Srce koje je darovano Svetom Ocu, papi Lavu XIII., tijekom povijesnog hodočašća hrvatskih mladih u Rim.

Kako bi se dodatno obilježio ovaj događaj, oblik grba oblikovan je tako da odgovara povijesnom grbu – prikazanom u literaturi koja se pripremala za Posvećenje mladih 1900. godine. Na grbu ovaj jubilarni dizajn medaljice ograničenog izdanja na svojoj poleđini nosi bezvremenski bojni poklič posvećene generacije: „Hrvatska Omladina u boj pod Zastavom Srca Isusova“ 1900.-2025.

Ovaj poseban redak iz njihove posvetne molitve doista se ističe:

“Mladež roda hrvatskoga, tog predziđa kršćanstva, u svetoj ovoj godini, na svršetku staroga i na osvitu novoga vijeka, …….. svečano obećaje, da će se pod barjakom presvetog Srca Isusova hrabro i neustrašivo boriti za vjeru i za dom.”


Posvećenje hrvatske mladeži 1900. godine nije bio samo nacionalni trenutak – bio je to jedinstven događaj u globalnoj katoličkoj povijesti. Nijedna druga katolička nacija na prijelazu iz 19. u 20. stoljeće nije svjedočila tako brojnom svečanom zavjetu vjernosti Kristu. To stoji kao svjetionik nepokolebljivog identiteta Hrvatske poput Antemurale Christianitatis – bedema kršćanstva.

Kako bi se ponovno obilježio ovaj savez, ograničeno izdanje “Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice” za 125. obljetnicu dostupno je u tri različite izvedbe: verzija s lančićem od nehrđajućeg čelika (vojni stil), verzija paracord s perlama od nehrđajućeg čelika i ručno izrađena verzija od maslinovog drveta.

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Croatian Covenant Rosary – 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition

Published on: by KOFPB

In the spirit of sacred remembrance and national encouragement, the “Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica” (Croatian Covenant Rosary) 125th Anniversary Jubilee Limited Edition has been created to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the consecration of 160 000 young Croatians to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in AD 1900.
This Jubilee edition rosary bears a twofold mission: to Remember and Encourage.

REMEMBER
To remember our nation’s sacred past – our covenant with Christ and His Holy Catholic Church and the fidelity of our forefathers. As this reflective quote reminds us:
“We have existed for over thirteen centuries. The very fact that we began to exist as an organic people thirteen centuries ago and that we still exist today is something remarkable, something that carries a deep meaning and inexhaustible vitality and a certain mission.”
The soul of this remembrance is etched into the two central elements of this rosary: the “Zavjetni Križ” (Covenant Cross) and the “Zavjetna Medaljica” (centrepiece Covenant Medal). These are not mere symbols, but sacred anchors of our identity.

ENCOURAGE
To encourage every Croatian Catholic to live out the sacred vow entrusted to us – to live our baptismal identity faithfully, concretely, and courageously in our everyday life and calling. Our ancestors passed down the flame of faith. It is now our time to keep it burning and pass it on to future generations.
With Divine Providence, the Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica has emerged as a living testament to the power and importance of the Holy Rosary amongst the Croats. It is the greatest spiritual weapon entrusted to us in the battle against the devil, his demons and the forces of darkness.

A ROSARY WOVEN WITH THE THREADS OF A NATION
Infused with religious, historic, and cultural heritage, every element of the rosary is intentional. It is designed not only as an object of devotion but as a unifying emblem for Croatians across the homeland and the diaspora – a shared prayer, a shared mission and a shared heart.

CROATIAN COVENANT CROSS (Hrvatski Zavjetni Križ): A MONUMENT OF FAITH AND NATIONAL MEMORY
Forged in 1979 to mark the eleven-hundredth anniversary of the papal blessing of Prince Branimir and the Croatian people, the Hrvatski Zavjetni Križ—Croatian Covenant Cross—is not merely a crucifix, but a national catechism wrought in bronze. It is a solemn proclamation, echoing through the centuries, that the Croatian people were baptised into the light of Christ in ancient times and have remained resolute in their Catholic faith through tribulation, persecution, and sacrifice.

This cross stands as a beacon of our sacred history—a history steeped in blood, fidelity, and Divine Providence. It is crowned with the baptismal font of Prince Višeslav of Nin (c. 800 AD), which reminds us of the sacred waters through which Croatia entered Christendom and the cultural circle of Christian Europe. The figure of Christ, drawn from the oldest known Croatian crucifix in the monastery of St Francis (12th century, Zadar), extends His arms in embrace, gathering a people who have never abandoned the Cross, nor the promises it contains.

Every element on the Cross is deliberate, each a chapter in our sacred heritage:
To Christ’s right: the Branimir Inscription from Šopot near Benkovac, the earliest recorded mention of the name “Croat” (DVX CRVATORVM), carved in stone under the sign of the cross—a symbol of both sovereignty and faith.

To His left: Our Lady of the Great Covenant – the oldest known image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Croatia, is a rustic yet deeply tender Marian relief sculpted in the 11th century near Knin. Later immortalised in gold and silver, it stands as a timeless witness to the centuries of Marian devotion woven into the very heart of Croatian identity.

At Christ’s feet: Branimir’s Cross, the Keys of St Peter, and the Jubilee dates 879–1979, commemorating our unwavering communion with the Holy See, first formally recognised by Pope John VIII when he blessed the Croatian people and their prince, and reaffirmed a millennium later by Pope St John Paul II, who once again blessed the Croatian nation during the 1979 Branimir year Jubilee celebrations.

The ancient Croatian interlace weave (pleter) woven through the Cross unites heaven and earth, a motif as old as the nation itself, symbolising the eternal bond between the divine and the human. The Cross was conceived under the leadership of Archbishop Marijan Oblak of Zadar and the Branimir Jubilee Committee, whose vision was to create a spiritual monument that would affirm the indissoluble union of faith and nationhood.

That same year, the Croatian Bishops’ Conference composed the Croatian Catholics’ Profession of Faith, an enduring testament to unity and belief. They urged that it be recited nightly at 9:00 pm, inviting every Croatian home to be a domestic church, offering a daily act of fidelity to Christ and His Church.

Croatian Catholics’ Profession of Faith
I firmly believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. With my life I wish to confirm my baptismal covenant with God and renew our forefathers’ holy covenant of faith in Jesus Christ and faithfulness to the Catholic Church. I place my resolve in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Mother of God. Amen

On the reverse of the Cross, our covenant commitments are inscribed – our solemn response to the grace bestowed. Most prominent, etched into the horizontal bar of the Cross – symbolising the weight we must bear – is the exhortation: “Hrvatska katolička obitelj dnevno moli i nedjeljom slavi misu” (“The Croatian Catholic family prays daily and celebrates Mass on Sundays”)—a mandate for spiritual life anchored in prayer and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Intersecting this, on the vertical bar of the cross, is the ancient Glagolitic script proclaiming our national motto: “Bog i Hrvati” (“God and the Croats”). It is positioned with deliberate symbolism: Bog (“God”) stands at the top – above all else – while Hrvati (“the Croats”) is positioned at the base, signifying that the Croatian people stand under God’s authority and blessing, completed with the traditional Hrvatski grb—Croatian coat of arms under the Hrvati text. These elements—God, Family, Homeland—are hierarchically arranged, reflecting the sacred order of Croatian devotion and duty within the covenant.

In 1979, Pope John Paul II, echoing Pope John VIII eleven centuries prior, bestowed his apostolic blessing upon the Croatian nation during the Jubilee. At that moment, Croatia renewed its ancestral vows before God and the world. The Zavjetni Križ remains an enduring sign of that renewal: an icon of memory, a call to perseverance, and a declaration that Croatia’s soul is, and always has been, Catholic.

COVENANT MEDAL 125TH ANIVERSARY JUBILEE LIMITED EDITION
The heart of the rosary’s centrepiece is the “Zavjetna Medaljica” (Covenant Medal), inspired by the sacred consecration of 160 000 Croatian youths to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1900 – an unprecedented act of a national devotion.

The Golden Heart gifted to Pope Leo XIII AD1900

The image of the Sacred Heart on the medal replicates the actual gold Sacred Heart that was gifted to the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII, during the historic Croatian youth pilgrimage to Rome.

To further commemorate this event, the coat-of-arms (‘grb’) shape was deliberately shaped to match the historic ‘grb’ featured in the literature preparing for the 1900 Youth Consecration. On the ‘grb’, this limited-edition jubilee design bears on its reverse the timeless battle cry of a consecrated generation: “Hrvatska Omladina u boj pod Zastavom Srca Isusova” (Croatian Youth to battle under the banner of Christ) AD 1900-2025.

One line from their consecration prayer still echoes with prophetic urgency:

“The youth of the Croatian people, that bulwark of Christianity, in this holy year, at the end of the old and at the dawn of the new age, ……….and solemnly promise to bravely and fearlessly fight for faith and for homeland under the banner of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.”


The consecration of Croatian youth in AD 1900 was not merely a national moment – it was a singular and unique event in global Catholic history. No other Catholic nation at the turn of the 20th century, witnessed such a collective, solemn pledge of fidelity to Christ by its youth. It stands as a beacon of Croatia’s unwavering identity as the Antemurale Christianitatis – the Bulwark of Christianity.

To commemorate this covenant anew, the “Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica” 125th Jubilee Limited Edition is available in three reverent versions: the stainless-steel pull chain version (military style), para cord version (stainless steel beads) and the hand-crafted olive wood version.

Meditation on Our Lord’s Most Precious Blood

Meditation on Our Lord’s Precious Blood by Fr. Johann Zollner “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled.” (Pet. 1:18-19) On this day, the Church celebrates...Continue reading→

Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled.” (Pet. 1:18-19)   The Precious Blood of Our Lord is the charism of the Knights. According to the...Continue reading→

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Jubilarno ograničeno izdanje za 125. obljetnicu

U duhu svetog sjećanja i nacionalnog ohrabrenja, izrađen je ograničen broj jubilarne „Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice“ kako bi se proslavila 125. obljetnica posvete 160.000 mladih Hrvata Presvetom Srcu Isusovu 1900. godine. Ova jubilarna krunica ima dvostruku misiju: sjećanje i ohrabrenje.  SJEĆANJE Sjećati se svete prošlosti našeg naroda, našeg saveza s Kristom i Njegovom svetom Katoličkom Crkvom...Continue reading→

The Vices and other Very Grievous Sins

The Vices and other Very Grievous Sins 1 Q. What is a vice? A. A vice is an evil disposition of the mind to shirk good and do evil, arising from the frequent repetition of evil acts. 2 Q. What difference is there between a sin and a vice? A. Between sin and vice there...Continue reading→

The Main Kinds of Sins

The Main Kinds of Sins 1 Q. How many kinds of sin are there? A. There are two kinds of sin: original sin and actual sin. 2 Q. What is original sin? A. Original sin is the sin in which we are all born, and which we contracted by the disobedience of our first parent,...Continue reading→

THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH IN CROATIA Eleven Magnificent Statues of St. Michael the Archangel

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THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH IN CROATIA For 11 centuries of the Croatian kingdom, 11 magnificent statues of St. Michael the Archangel

These days, Croatian believers are especially connected to Saint Michael the Archangel, the heavenly commander and the most famous warrior of God, who, in the service of the risen Christ, is tasked with finishing off Satan with a sword in the final battle. This angel – as long as he lives – is the guarantor of the victory of good over evil. However, since Satan, although defeated by Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, multiplies evil and continues to mortally wound humanity until the final reckoning at the end of time, there are those in the Church in every generation who invoke his protection in a special way. This was done by Popes Leo XIII, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis, as well as saints such as the Capuchin Padre Pio or the Croatian Blessed Alojzije Stepinac.

Moreover, in some mysterious way, all those who spread the apostolate of the Archangel Michael seem to recruit multitudes of his admirers, who encourage him with their prayers in his endeavour, and he at the same time protects them on the path of life. At this historic moment, precisely at Easter time, during the Catholic Church’s jubilee year of 2025, and with the Church and the Croatian people immersed in the jubilee of 1100 years of the Croatian kingdom and the Split church councils, an initiative is taking place among the Croatian faithful that in a new way invokes the protection of St. Michael the Archangel – so that both the Church and the people may permanently survive in fidelity to God. In recent months, this initiative has already connected Croatian lay believers, religious and priests throughout Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the world, with a common goal: in the jubilee year, to place the present and future of the entire Croatian people and the Church within them under the protection of the Heavenly Commander. The lasting memorial to this alliance is not only the encouragement of prayer to spread, but also the donation of 11 large statues of St. Michael, three meters high and weighing four tons, which are to be placed under the open sky at 11 locations throughout Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a memorial to the 11 centuries of Croatian royalty.

Blessed Alojzije Stepinac prayed to St. Michael every morning
Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, in addition to building the parish church and parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Zagreb’s Dubrava, had great devotion to the heavenly military leader. Stepinac’s words were reported in the Dnevnik by the Krašić parish priest Josip Vraneković in 1952:

“Looking at everything that is happening here and in the world, I am convinced that it is not happening without the special assistance of the devil. That is why every morning, as soon as I get up, I get dressed and the first thing I do is pray for the exorcism of Leo XIII. I have been doing this every day since the last war, when a German military priest warned me about it. He told me that he could not achieve anything with the children in religious education, because Hitlerism had corrupted them so much. They are restless, they shout, make noise, fight. ‘The second time before I came among them, I prayed for an exorcism. And surprisingly, they were as calm as sheep that time. Since then, I have prayed for an exorcism every time – and it was good.’ When that priest told me this, I have been praying for an exorcism every day since then. I only forgot it once in Lepoglava, and that was on the very morning that poor priest hanged himself. I recommend that you pray for it every day too!’

The first four statues of St. Michael the Archangel arrived in Croatia on March 29th and have already been shipped to four locations in the north, east, west and south of the homeland, with which St. Michael has spiritually embraced Croatia. On the Croatian northern Adriatic, the first statue has arrived in the heart of Istria and has already been installed next to the Franciscan monastery in Pazin. The second statue has arrived in the western part of central Croatia, in the parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Pokupsko. The east of the homeland will be in the shadow of the statue installed on the land of the Franciscan monastery of St. Peter and Paul in ancient Šarengrad, along the Danube River. The protection of the Croatian south will be symbolized by the statue that has arrived in the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Pločice near Konavle, where the blue of the sky meets the blue of the sea in a special way. The arrival of seven more statues is planned, four of which are to be installed on church lands in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three in Croatia.

It is significant that just on the eve of the jubilee year, commemorating the Split church councils during the reign of King Tomislav, the initiative to place the Church in Croatia under the protection of St. Michael first arose among the laity, among the “warriors of Mary”. They have long been known in the Split region for their numerous apostolic and prayerful endeavors.

Chronological testimony
The best way to tell how the initiative was born is, in short, by chronology. The Warriors of Mary, led by Miljenko Jurić and catechist Darko Pejković, learned that a project to erect four statues on the four sides of their homeland had been launched in Poland. The fact that this vow was close to the heart of the Church there was confirmed by the Croatian priest, a Montfortian monk – a member of the Society of Mary, Fr. Nikola Tandara, now serving in Częstochowa, Poland. He gave additional impetus to the Warriors of Mary and encourages the entire initiative. The idea began to spread more and more among the faithful and found fertile ground among the volunteers of the Philip Neri Association and with their spiritual father, Prof. Dr. Josip Mužić, a professor at the Split Catholic University of the Catholic Church and the administrator of the ancient church of St. Philip Neri. Then the idea reached Glas Koncila, which is known to have played an important role in connecting the Croatian north and south in the celebrations of Croatian anniversaries to date during the 20th century. Taking over the media sponsorship of the venture was almost a duty for Glas Koncila, considering that the first issue of Glas Koncila in 1963 was dated September 29, the feast of the holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

The chronology continues. It was decided around the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2024 that the initiative would be launched immediately, that it was important for everyone involved to volunteer, with the faith that Providence would provide all the material resources.

Holy Pope John Paul II called on St. Michael the Archangel

“to protect and defend the Holy Church in this time in which it is difficult to provide authentic Christian testimony without compromise and watering down”

Pope St. John Paul II, a great friend of the Croatian people, said this about St. Michael:

“He is the archangel (cf. Jude 1:9) who defends the inalienable rights of God. He is one of the heavenly princes, chosen to protect the people of God (cf. Dan 12:1) from whom the Savior will come. The new people of God are now the Church. That is why the Church considers him its protector and supporter in all the struggles for the defence and expansion of the kingdom of God on earth. True, ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,’ as the Lord guaranteed (Mt 16:18). But this does not mean that we are exempt from temptation and the struggle against the snares of the devil. In this struggle, the archangel Michael is with the Church to defend it from all the evils of the world, to help the faithful to resist the devil who ‘prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour’ (1 Pet 5:8). This struggle against the devil, which characterizes the figure of the Archangel Michael, is still relevant today because the devil is still alive and active in the world” (Monte Gargano, Sunday, May 24, 1987). On that occasion, he warmly added: “Like many of my predecessors in the See of Peter, I too have come to this place to enjoy a moment of the atmosphere proper to this sanctuary, an atmosphere created by silence, prayer and penance; I have come to honour and invoke St. Michael the Archangel to protect and defend the Holy Church in this time in which it is difficult to offer an authentic Christian witness without compromise and compromise.”

Carved in the Martyr Church
Providence first acted in such a way that the offers received from Croatian stonemason workshops for the creation of the statues were too high, which was quite discouraging. And just when it was thought that the idea could not be realized, a much more favourable offer came, from China. Did one have to go so far from Croatia to realize a homeland project, some wondered. But when it was learned that the local, Chinese master sculptor was a Catholic, that is, that Christians were involved in the production, there was no longer any doubt. At least Catholics in Croatia know well what it means to live the faith in the Martyr Church. In addition, when it was seen with what respect the Chinese master accepted to decorate the first four statues of St. Michael with Croatian braid, it gave everyone additional encouragement.

It was decided that the accounting infrastructure for collecting donations would be provided by the Association of Volunteers of St. Philip Neri, and the project would be coordinated by laypeople and priests, making decisions together. By then, some donations had already been collected through personal advertising among acquaintances, and in order to pay for and transport the statues to Croatia (which is a very high cost, but nowhere near the funds needed to make the statues in Croatia), the funds were partly borrowed, with certainty. The statues were completed around Christmas 2024 and set sail for Croatia by ship.

Although it was agreed that the project would not be publicized yet, the rumour that the statues of St. Michael were coming to Croatia could not be contained. The search for definitive locations followed. Two basic criteria had to be met: the land on which the statues would be placed must be church land, and the parish or religious community to which the statue is coming must accept it as a gift. This does not mean that the local faithful are prohibited from donating funds for the purchase of the statues. The goal is to place the statue there as a symbol for the entire Croatian region, and not just for the faithful who live in the narrow area adjacent to a particular parish or monastery. In other words, all those who donate to the statues are not doing so just for a single statue, but for all the statues together.

INSPIRATION • Two Popes Support the Idea of the Statue
Among the exceptional moments where two popes appeared together – Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI – was the blessing of the newly erected statue of the Archangel Michael on July 5, 2013. in the Vatican Gardens, a few months after Francis was elected head of the Catholic Church. The event is all the more significant because it was initiated by Pope Benedict during his pontificate and carried out by Pope Francis. This act by the two successors of St. Peter was also the inspiration for the installation of statues of St. Michael the Archangel throughout the Church in Croatia.

»Michael – which means ‘Who is like God’ – is the defender of God’s primacy, his transcendence and his power. Michael fights to establish divine justice; protects God’s people from their enemies, and especially from the greatest enemy, the devil. And St. Michael conquers because God works in him. This sculpture reminds us that evil has been defeated, that the accuser has been exposed, his head crushed, because salvation has come once and for all through the blood of Christ. Although the devil always seeks to disfigure the face of angels and the face of man, God is stronger; his victory and salvation are offered to every man. In the journey of life and the trials of life, we are not alone, but we are accompanied and supported by the angels of God who offer us, so to speak, their wings to help us overcome so many dangers and fly high in relation to the realities that can burden our lives and drag us down. In dedicating the Vatican City State to St. Michael the Archangel, we ask him to protect us from the Evil One and to cast him out,” Pope Francis said at the time.

The first four locations
In order to satisfy all the criteria, along with additional criteria such as those sometimes imposed by conservators or other (church) authorities, the first four locations were finally agreed upon, to which the statues were already delivered in early April: Pazin, Pokupsko, Šarengrad near Ilok and Pločice near Konavle, where Dubrovnik Bishop Roko Glasnović was also involved in the selection of the location. In Pazin, the statue has already arrived on its pedestal. The statues will soon also be placed on the other three pedestals, and then blessed.

Although the financial structure is completely closed for only two statues, in order not to deprive Providence of any of its strength and not to give up on trust in its work, the aforementioned seven new marble statues of St. Michael the Archangel were ordered from the same workshop, which are now looking for their locations in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In doing so, even the smallest contributions from ordinary believers, who have recognized themselves in the initiative and taken it to heart, are of great importance, and judging by the selfless response so far, there are more and more of them. They all feel that the eleven statues will be another lasting memorial to the 1,100th anniversary of the Croatian kingdom, and a sign of trust in the protection of the heavenly commander St. Michael the Archangel in the fight against the onslaught of evil on the Church and the Croatian people in the future.

The prayer initiative of Pope Leo XIII.
Pope Leo XIII is the author of the famous prayer to the Archangel Michael (the ancients called it “The Exorcism of Pope Leo XIII”). It was written after Pope Leo XIII had a terrifying vision of a multitude of evil spirits, demons, over the Eternal City in 1886. Therefore, he composed a prayer for the defence of the Church against Satan and his infernal army. He ordered that priests and the faithful pray it after every low mass, which was in effect until the Second Vatican Council.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel“

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.”

UPDATE

Praise be to God the money needed for this project has been raised!! thanks to all the people that kindly donated towards this project.

Video – For 11 centuries of the Croatian kingdom, 11 magnificent statues of St. Michael the Archangel

Izdvojeno – Hrvatska pod obranom sv. Mihaela Arkanđela

 

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Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Jubilarno ograničeno izdanje za 125. obljetnicu

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Croatian Men’s Conference – Miles Christi 2025 – ‘God’s Chosen’

Published on: by KOFPB

2025 was the 7th annual men’s conference for the Knight of the Precious Blood, and for me was my sixth. Each year, the event keeps getting better, with more inspiring talks and a different group of men with whom to share a weekend of faith, as we all continue on our spiritual journeys. 

This year it was great to see so many new faces. We were blessed with many father/son duos, a testament to the lasting fruits of the conference and the faith passed down through generations. 

After checking in and finding my room, we made our way to the chapel for Krizni Put (Stations of the Cross) followed by Mass, presided over by our spiritual director for the weekend, Fr Davor. The Mass and stations in the Chapel were, as always, beautiful – made even more moving by the choir’s heartfelt contribution.

Following the traditional Lenten Friday meal of fish and chips, we gathered in the hall for another round of Rob’s infamous ice-breaker quiz. True to tradition, I finished the icebreaker feeling more clueless than I did last year. I really need to study some Croatian trivia or find a way to hack into Rob’s computer to see where he’s pulling these questions from. 2026 will be my year!

This was also our first time meeting the famous “Big show”, our newly recruited MC, Ante Spralja, who certainly didn’t disappoint, both as an MC and a comedian! Definitely a great addition to the conference line up. 

Dr Andrew Wood kicked off the speaker sessions. Most of us have heard Andrew speak before, and he never fails to both enlighten and challenge us. His talk, titled “God’s Chosen Race and Royal Priesthood”, offered pearls of wisdom. He simplified salvation with his quote: “Salvation history is all about man getting back into the garden.” Another standout quote was “you can never outdo God in generosity – he deserves the best, Our Best”. I am convinced Andrew has shares in the Cardinal Newman Bookstore – we cleaned them out of every book he recommended! 

Saturday began with a 6:30am Rosary and 7am Mass, followed by a hearty breakfast serving of bacon and eggs. Then we commenced the conference formalities for the day. The morning’s sessions were all delivered by Jakov, who got me thinking deeply (as he always does) and delivered 2 fantastic talks titled “Chosen but wounded” and “Chosen: steps to living in freedom and healing”. 

The highlight of the first talk was Dr Bob Schuchts concept of the “7 deadly wounds” – rejection, abandonment, fear, shame, powerlessness, hopelessness, and confusion. If you have time it’s worth looking deeper into these as we have all experienced some level of wounding. As Jakov remined us, “A wound not transformed is a wound transmitted”. 

Jakov’s second talk addressed the concept of repetitive sin and offered practical steps towards healing. Practical step 3 in his presentation, “Unforgiveness” – stood out for me: how we ask the Lord to forgive us our sins as we forgive others what they have done to us – yet often fail to hold up our end of the bargain. These were powerful words to meditate on, and it gave our small group some really good points for discussion and sharing some of our personal stories. 

After a quick break and team photo we returned for the conference testimony session. This year we had the pleasure of hearing from Andre Abouharb, who many of us have seen around the Catholic events as the guy with a bad leg who sells the Catholic t-shirts and hoodies. What a powerful testimony! He shared the story behind his leg injury and also how corporate “LGTV” propaganda played a role in inspiring the creation of the Catholic Apparel brand. If you see him around say hello – he’s a great guy with a great apostolate. https://www.catholicapparel.com.au/ 

Lunch followed, along with some free time to gather thoughts, reconnect with old friends, and – of course – buy more books from Cardinal Newman Bookstore (which, let’s be honest, will likely collect dust unless we commit to actually reading them!) If you haven’t already, open those books and dive deeper into our beautiful faith. Reading not only gives us the opportunity to put our phones down but opens the mind and heart to truth, wisdom and spiritual nourishment. Always have scripture or a great spiritual book open to help you on your faith journey.

Saturday afternoon gave us an introduction to Michael Jaksic, who has taken on the role of leading Maximus Men’s Ministry for the Archdiocese, following Ivica who has settled in Croatia with his family. His session in the chapel focused on a meditation on the presence of God. The text that Michael walked through was very powerful, and one line that stood out for me was that “the cases where total conversion is reached in an instant by a very special grace are rare; ordinarily, we do not arrive at it except by a daily progressive conversion…our cooperation is nevertheless required”. 

After another excellent meal provided by the Benedict XVI Retreat Centre team, we gathered again for the evening keynote with Fr Greg Morgan, who spoke on “Hope in the Person of Jesus”. What an incredible speaker! I’ve attended a few of Fr Greg’s talks and he never disappoints! He shared some of his personal experiences on hope through his ministry, and it’s quite alarming to hear some of the stats regarding teen suicide from the shire. He reminded us of our role – to be a beacon of hope to the world, through our witness to Jesus Christ and continue to pray for our priests who have such an important ministry within their communities. 

We then had the pleasure of listening to Fr John Rizzo. All I can say is: wow! What an amazing servant of God. He spoke to us in the chapel, offering a powerful reflection on the Prodigal Son. Though we’ve all heard the Gospel many time, Fr Rizzo brought new life to it. His words moved many of us to a deeper repentance and appreciation of the Father’s love and mercy – and to action. As soon as he concluded and mentioned which confessional he would be in, half of the men in the chapel stood up and made haste to join the queue for confession. A powerful statement of the impact that he had on the men that night. Some haven’t been to the sacrament since their teens. It was life changing.  

Sunday began early with 7am Mass. Fr Davor gave a great homily for the First Sunday of Lent, reflecting on Christ’s temptation in the desert and inviting us to enter deeply into our own Lenten journey. 

The final and morning’s session, included time for reflection on the weekend and some of the ways that we can take what we’ve heard and apply it to our lives. Zoki introduced us to the “Zavjet Hrvata – Croatian Covenant” and played a powerful video commemorating the 125th anniversary of the moment when 160,000 young Croatian men and women consecrated themselves the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In honour of this momentous event in our Catholic history, the Knight’s have compiled resources for us to make our own consecration. I encourage everyone to take this seriously – commit to the First Friday Devotion and make the vow to consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and do the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our homes with the family. 

The weekend wrapped up with a farewell lunch before we returned to our families and loved ones – hopefully renewed and ready to live with grater love for our Lord. Now that the dust has settled, I encourage you to revisit the flame that was ignited that weekend. Go through your conference pack again. If you haven’t yet, start reading through the pocketbook “The Rosary: My Treasure” and grow your devotion to this beautiful prayer we have been given by our Blessed Mother. And don’t wait for the next retreat to visit the Lord in Adoration. Many churches will have either daily, weekly or monthly adoration, so make some time to cultivate a deeper relationship with the Lord. 

A massive thank you to the Knight’s for all that you do to put the weekend together. You sacrifice so much for this group and without your time and effort many of us would never have had the relationship with God that we currently have. A huge thanks also to Fr Davor, who provides great spiritual direction to the Croatian Men in Sydney.  

Stay connected to the fraternity through the various men’s ministries and keep an eye out for upcoming events. Join the various signal group chats and keep an eye out for email updates as they’re sent, and events advertised on the Knights website. 

NEXT YEARS NATIONAL CROATIAN MEN’S CONFERENCE

“MILES CHRISTI 2026”

Friday 27th February – Sunday 1st March 2026

God Bless and looking forward to seeing you all again soon. 

Steve F 

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Do Not Fear, Little Flock

Published on: by KOFPB

Message 580 – “Do Not Fear, Little Flock” From the blue book “Marian Movement of Priests”, Zagreb (Croatia), September 20, 1996. Italian priest, Fr. Stefano Gobbi (1930. – 2011.)

Our Croatian people have endured significant suffering throughout the centuries, particularly in the face of aggression from the Ottoman Turks, satanic forces, and the communist regime of former Yugoslavia. It is truly remarkable that the Croatian people have persevered through all these hardships, strengthening their faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. 

With a profound devotion to St. Joseph as the patron and protector of Croatia, Croatians have always held a special reverence for Our Lady, both as the Queen of Heaven and the Queen of Croatians. The presence of established pilgrimage sites and Marian shrines, such as those in Marija Bistrica, Sinj, and Medjugorje, underscores the profound love and devotion that the faithful of Croatia have for their heavenly mother.

In the year of 1996, Father Stefano Gobbi (1926-2011), founder of the Marian Movement of Priests and an Italian Catholic priest best known for his alleged inner locutions from the Virgin Mary – messages he claimed to have received over several decades – continued to inspire thousands around the world. His cause for beatification has been officially announced: “With great joy we announce that on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 10:30am in the Shrine of the Holy Crucifix (SS. Crocifisso) in Como (Italy) His Eminence Cardinal Oscar Cantoni, diocesan bishop, presided the solemn Eucharistic Celebration with the opening of the diocesan process for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Fr. Stefano Gobbi.” source: https://mmp-usa.net/

Father Gobbi held a prayer cenacle in Zagreb. Fr Gobbi’s messages as recorded, are printed below in full. They are a timely reminder that the Croatian people are especially loved by Our Lady and are chosen for these times, to do battle against the forces of evil and to bring about the Triumph of her Immaculate Heart.

One only has to see the resistance the Croatian Men’s Rosary Crusade in Zagreb every month to understand the battle is real and with the help of Our Lady, and our faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Croatian people will overcome their adversaries and bring true peace to all hearts, a peace that only Jesus can give.

The above video is message 580 in Croatian with English subtitles, with suitable images to assist with the message delivery. The following is a reprint of the message from Our Lady to Fr Gobbi in Zagreb in 1996. Please note that the messages have an imprimatur though they have not had an official Vatican approval or endorsement.

580                                                                           Zagreb (Croatia), September 20, 1996

Do Not Fear, Little Flock

a          “How happy I am with the cenacle which you have held here, with the priests and the faithful of  my Movement, presided over by the Cardinal Archbishop, whom I so love and protect.

b          In this country, my Adversary is on a rampage, bringing into it the painful trial of violence and war. How many sufferings these children of mine have had to undergo! I have intervened to obtain for them the great gift of liberation and peace.

c          But still graver tribulations are now awaiting you.

d          —  Do not fear, little flock. The Heavenly Father has been pleased to give you the reign of the Immaculate Heart. I have manifested myself to you and you have welcomed me with the generosity of my little children.

e          Now I can lead you along the road of purity, of love and of holiness, with the exercise of all the virtues which I cultivate, as a heavenly gardener, in the resplendent garden of your souls. Thus each day I offer you, as victims of reparation, to the Justice of God, so that He may pour out upon the world the purifying grace of his Divine Mercy.

f           — Do not fear, little flock. Your heavenly Mother has made you the gift of drawing you together from all sides into her victorious cohort. The hour of the decisive battle has come. Satan has now reached the summit of his power and now, even in the Church, he will bring to fulfillment that which the Lord has permitted him for her most painful purification.

g          The hours which you are about to live are among the most important, because all the events, which I have foretold to you, will reach their fulfillment.

h          — Do not fear, little flock. Jesus has gathered you into the heavenly enclosure of his divine love. He leads you to the perfect fulfillment of the Will of the Father. Jesus wants to be glorified by you. The hour has come when Jesus will be perfectly glorified by you. You are the consolation to Him in his abandonment; you are the profound joy of his divine Heart.

i           — Do not fear, little flock. You are my little children, whom I have gathered together from every part of the earth, for the great battle between God and Satan, between the forces of good and those of evil. The Lord will conquer by means of me, his little servant. I will conquer by means of you, my little children.

j           What has taken place in this country becomes a sign for all. Because of its fidelity to Jesus and to your heavenly Mother, to the Church and to the Pope, Satan has been unleashed against it in an attempt to destroy it. With this object in mind, all the satanic and masonic forces have come together.

k          But I myself have marked the hour of their defeat. And thus it will be for all humanity. For this reason, I bid you to have confidence and a great hope.

l           — Do not fear, little flock. To you has been entrusted the mission of bringing to completion the triumph of my Immaculate Heart in the world.”

580                                                                                 Zagreb (Hrvatska), 20. rujna 1996.

Ne boj se malo stado

“Kako sam zadovoljna Cenakulom što si ga ovdje imao sa svećenicima i vjernicima moga Pokreta, kojem je predsjedao Kardinal Nadbiskup koga veoma ljubim i štitim.

Na ovu se Naciju moj Protivnik razbjesnio, donoseći u nju tešku kušnju nasilja i rata. Kolike su patnje morala podnijeti ova moja djeca! Ja sam se zauzela da dobiju veliki dar oslobođenja i mira.

Ali sad vas očekuju još veće muke.

– Ne boj se malo stado. Ocu Nebeskom se svidjelo dati vam kraljevstvo mog Bezgrješnog Srca. Ja sam vam se očitovala i vi ste prihvatili s velikodušnošću moje male djece.

Sada vas mogu povesti, kao nebeska vrtlarica u svjetlom vrtu vaših duša, na put čistoće, ljubavi i svetosti, vježbom svih kreposti koje su mi drage. Tako vas svaki dan predajem kao žrtve zadovoljštine Božjoj Pravdi kako bi (Bog) mogao izliti na svijet pročišćujuću Milost svoga Božanskog milosrđa.

– Ne boj se malo stado. Vaša nebeska Majka udijelila vam je dar da se okupite sa svih strana u Njezinu pobjedničku četu.

Došao je čas odlučujuće bitke.

Sotona je već došao do vrhunca svoje moći i sada, također i u Crkvi, dovršit će (svoje djelo), koliko mu je Gospodin dopustio za Njeno najbolnije čišćenje.

Časovi, koje ćete proživjeti, spadaju među najvažnije, jer svi događaji koje sam vam prorekla, ispunit će se.

– Ne boj se malo stado. Isus vas je okupio u nebeskom pašnjaku svoje božanske Ljubavi. On vas vodi savršenom ispunjenju Očeve Volje. Isus želi biti od vas proslavljen. Došao je čas u kojem ćete Isusa savršeno proslaviti. Vi ste utjeha njegovoj napuštenosti; vi ste duboka radost njegova božanskog Srca.

– Ne boj se malo stado. Budite moja mala djeca, koju sam okupila sa svih strana svijeta, za veliku bitku između Boga i Sotone, između sila dobra i sila zla. Gospodin će pobijediti preko Mene, svoje male Sluškinje. Ja ću pobijediti pomoću vas, moja mala djeco.

Ono što se dogodilo u ovoj Naciji postaje znak za sve. Zbog svoje vjernosti Isusu i vašoj nebeskoj Majci, Crkvi i Papi, Sotona je navalio na nju, u pokušaju da je uništi. Imajući na umu ovaj cilj, udružile su se sve sotonske i masonske sile.

Međutim, Ja sam sama označila čas njihova poraza. Tako će biti za čitavo čovječanstvo. Zato vas pozivam na pouzdanje i nadu.

– Ne boj se malo stado. Vama je povjereno poslanje da ostvarite trijumf mog Bezgrješnog Srca u svijetu.”

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Published on: by KOFPB

In the history of the Croatian people, faith, family and nation have always been inseparably woven together like the Croatian pleter, forming the backbone of our identity. Few embodied this truth more courageously than Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, whose unwavering fidelity to Christ and His Church stood as a beacon of hope in times of trial. On the solemn occasion of blessing the Croatian flag, Cardinal Stepinac addressed the men of Croatia with a call both timeless and urgent: to remain steadfast as true sons of the Church, in all circumstances, without compromise. His words, rooted in the Gospel and the centuries-old Catholic tradition of our people, remind us that the strength of a nation is not merely in its banners but in the hearts of men who remain faithful to God, His law, and the holy Church of Christ. As you read this article, may you be inspired by his words and strengthened in your own vocation as Croatian Catholic men, called to live with courage, integrity, and unwavering faith.

Cardinal Stepinac speech on the occasion of the blessing of the flag for Croatian Catholic men, in the parish of St. Peter in Zagreb, April 18, 1937. 

( … ) After a certain luncheon, a householder invited his guests into his garden, but before that he asked the guests if they had anything else to say. At that, an excellent man stood up and said: “I have something to say.” He crossed himself and said: “Thank you, Almighty God, for all your graces. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever!”  That was a true Catholic man!

You Catholic men have unfurled your banner today and asked for the blessing of the Holy Church upon it. Raise it high and walk beneath it like true heroes, like true Catholic men.

Catholics today lack much heroism and courage in professing the holy faith of Christ. You, men, be courageous in this! Always and everywhere be true sons of the Church, be true Catholic men both in your families and in public life. In families, shine with your good example. Be husbands not in word, but in deed. If you need to give others in the family an example of how to pray, how to approach the Lord’s table, how to live a Christian life, then first of all you, husbands, should take the lead and be a light to others. Today, when our youth are exposed to so many dangers, if you men do not shine, if you do not lead, if you do not strive with all your might for their betterment, then the priest of God will have labored in vain. Therefore, be true Catholic men in your families and lead by your good example. Hold fast to that of Christ: “I have given you an example, that as I do, you also should do.” [10]

But even more! Be true Catholic men in life! Men who will not deny Christ before anyone and who will not be ashamed to be his disciples! What would you say to a child who is ashamed of his father? That he is worthy of contempt. And remember the words of Christ, which read: “Whoever is ashamed of me before men, I will be ashamed of him before my Father in heaven.”[11] Men must be determined warriors, who will not be afraid to lay down their lives in defense of the justice and truth of Christ. Men do not fear, those who kill the body, but Him who is able to destroy both body and soul for eternity.[12]

Nikola Zrinski – Siget 1566 AD. With his heroism, Zrinski showed how to defend one’s home, preserve one’s faith, and defend one’s homeland.

We need men like those of our ancestors, who fought heroically for their holy faith against the Turkish invasions.

[10] Jn 13: 15.
[11] Mt 10: 32.
[12] Mt 10: 28.

Source

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