Croatian pilgrims arrive in Rome

Around 10,000 Croatian pilgrims arrived in Rome on Tuesday, where they were greeted by Pope Leo XIV. 

The event is as part of the Jubilee Year marking the 1,100th anniversary of the Church Councils in Split and the establishment of the Croatian Kingdom.

Pope Leo XIV greeted the faithful at St Peter's Basilica where Mass was led by the President of the Croatian Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Dražen Kutleša.

On Wednesday, pilgrims are expected to attend the General Audience with the Holy Father.

"We have been on several pilgrimages. Rome was the only one we hadn't done, so that's why we decided to come; and this is an important anniversary. I'm here with my husband and friends. Several buses came here from Split," said one female pilgrim from Dalmatia.

"I'm excited to see the Pope. I'm in Rome to strengthen my faith and to become a better believer. I've seen a lot already. I'm delighted with Rome," said another.

The oldest records of Croatian pilgrimages date back to the 9th century, with the names of prominent pilgrims written in the margins of the Cividale Gospel Book.

Among them are Croatian dukes Trpimir with his son Petar, Branimir with his wife Maruša, and Braslav with his wife.

The arrival of Croatian pilgrims in Rome did not escape the attention of the famous Italian writer Dante, who in Paradiso, the third part of his Divine Comedy (Canto 31, Verse 103), wrote about Croats who come as faithful Catholics on pilgrimage to Rome to venerate the Veil of Veronica, upon which Christ's face is said to have been imprinted.

Many pilgrims documented their journeys, giving rise to a literary genre of travel writing. One notable example is Journey to Jerusalem in the Year 1752 (Putovanje k Jerozolimu god. 1752.) by Jakov Pletikosa, regarded as the first Croatian travelogue. These travelogues are valuable sources for studying the ethnic, religious and political history of Croatia.

One of the most memorable chapters in Croatian pilgrimage history is the series of youth pilgrimages to Rome during the 1980s, under the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. These encounters helped foster a particularly warm and close relationship between the pontiff and the Croatian people.