Feast of the Assumption draws thousands of pilgrims

Thousands of pilgrims flocked to shrines all over the country on Friday for the holy day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

This year's traditional procession in Sinj, which usually draws thousands of pilgrims, was cancelled. Spit-Makarska Archbishop Marin Barišić warned of what he described as a “social virus” that is driving society to neglect the elderly. 

"In the mentality of youth, beauty, success, and competition, where the value of people is based on social status and wealth, older and elderly people have not only been relegated to life's periphery but are often regarded as a burden to society. As much as we try to ignore this, we are in danger of adopting this way of thinking and so are our younger generations," the Archbishop Barišić said in his homily.

Bad weather did not deter pilgrims making their way to Aljmaš on Saturday. Pilgrims kept a distance from each other as they entered shrines along the way. Turnout was about one third of what it is under usual circumstances. In Rijeka’s Trsat, Assumption services were held outdoors. Pilgrims were reminded to abide by coronavirus prevention measures. Turnout there was quite strong.

"We want to comply with the measures recommended by the national task force. We warned our flock about this over the past three days. Generally, people are careful. They keep their distance. We have multiple disinfectant stations and people were urged to wear mask. Those were the recommendations and we stuck to them," said Father Krunoslav Kocijan, the guardian of the Trsat shrine.

The national Marian shrine in Marija Bistrica was packed with pilgrims. Mass was celebrated there by the head of the Catholic Church in Croatia, the Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić.

“The conceited and the arrogant - those who believed in their superiority over others - have brought us and our people too much harm. To be humble means to be thankful for the gifts and skills we are given. We must use these gifts wisely and do good onto others and for our entire community as a means of healing our community from within and building friendship among ourselves,” Bozanić said in his homily.

After Easter, this is the second major religious holiday that is being marked during the pandemic.