 | A dream of dr. Mile Bogović, Gospić-Senj archbishop on the left, and the whole of Croatia has been realized. The beautiful Church of Croatian Martyrs has been solemnly opened in Udbina, a town in the heart of Croatian region of Lika, on a spot with breathtaking view to the legendary Krbava field and surrounding mountains. |
| Church of Croatian Martyrs solemnly opened in Udbina 2010 A dream of dr. Mile Bogović, Gospić-Senj archbishop on the left, and the whole of Croatia has been realized. The beautiful Church of Croatian Martyrs has been solemnly opened in Udbina, a town in the heart of Croatian region of Lika, on a spot with breathtaking view to the legendary Krbava field and surrounding mountains. Lika is situated on the North of the amazing range of the Croatian largest mountain of Velebit (about 150 km along the Adriatic sea), probably the most beautiful in Europe. Cardinal Vinko Puljić, archbishop of Bosnia Argentum (Silver Bosnia) from Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, gave an inspiring Holy Mass in the presence 10 bishops, 200 priests, state officials, representatives of highest cultural institutions, Croatian defenders, and 12-15,000 of pilgrims, many of them in picturesque Croatian national costumes. There were so many pilgrims that I was not able to take any photo of bishops during the Holy Mass. The town of Udbina is one of many symbols of Croatian martyrdom. The old Croatian bishopric seat of Krbava near Udbina, existing since the 12th century, has been destroyed in 1493 by the advent of Turkish Islam. Since then, ie for more than half a millenium, in Udbina and the magnificent Krbava valley, no any of imposing church towers could have been seen until the year 2010. Udbina has again been cleansed by force in 1942 from centuries old, predominantly Croatian population, and inhabited by entirely new population, a process well known in Croatia during the ex Yugoslav period. The entire area of Lika suffered enormous human and material losses during the Serbian agression on Croatia in 1990-1995. In 1995, immediately after the Storm Operation, the old ruins of Middle Age Krbava cathedral near Udbina have been discovered on the spot where Serbian canons were dug in, mercelessly destroying Croatian villages and towns during several years. The town of Gospić for example was destroyed no less than the city of Vukovar. The Church of Croatian Martyrs in Udbina is a beautiful achievement of Croatian architecture, combining specific traditions of the thirteen centuries old presence of Christiandom in this part of Europe. In particular, above the main entrance of the church one can see the inscription Martiribus croatorum - Hrvatskim mučenicima (To Croatian Martyrs), the years 879 (the year of the the first international recognition of Croatia) and 2010, and a representative of the old Croatian Glagolitic culture, which flourished in Lika and other parts of Croatia in the Middle Ages as nowhere else. The building very successfuly reflects very complex Croatian past, and one can notice already at the first glance the architectural elements of two wings of European Christianity. These two wings meet on Croatian soil and on the soil of neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project is a farewell to excesivly modernistic trends in church architecture in Croatia, and we can only applaud to bishop dr. Mile Bogović for his vision and perserverence. There is still a lots of work to be done in the interior. The baptismal font, placed on a glass surface between the upper and lower parts of the church, attracts great attention. The elegant building cannot be wholy appreciated without the spectacular view to the spacious Krbava field and the surrounding mountains behind it. The church has been solemnly opened by dr. Mile Bogović, and thousands of enthusiasted pilgrims visited it after the Mass. It is a result of great efforts of numerous institutions and individuals not only in Croatia, but also throughout the world. The church will contribute to spiritual and material advancement of Our Beuatiful Homeland. If you happen to visit Croatia, do not miss to see it. Other sources: udbina.gs.webmediaeu.com www.croatianhistory.net/etf/lika.html Zapis popa Martinca o bitci na Krbavskom polju 1493. Gloria in Excelsis Deo! |
| UDBINA: Velebna proslava Dana hrvatskih mučenika (11.9.2010. Z.R.) - Na Udbini je do sada najsvečanije u nazočnosti preko 12 tisuća hodočasnika (procjena policije) proslavljen Dan hrvatskih mučenika koji je ove godine bio u znaku blagoslova Crkve hrvatskih mučenika. Misno slavlje predslavio je vrhbosanski nadbiskup kardinal Vinko Puljić u suslavlju desetero biskupa kao i dvije stotine svećenika. Uz domaćeg ordinarija Milu Bogovića suslavili su riječki nadbiskup Ivan Devčić, porečko-pulski biskup Ivan Milovan, zadarski nadbiskup Želimir Puljić, splitsko-dalmatinski nadbiskup Marin Barišić, šibenski biskup Ante Ivas, vojni ordinarij Juraj Jezerinac, varaždinski biskup Josip Mrzljak, požeški biskup Antun Škvorčević i biskup u mirovini Ante Jurić. Biskup Mile Bogović na početku je izrazio zadovoljstvo završetkom radova na Crkvi hrvatskih mučenika, memorijalnom obilježju nacionalnog karaktera što je i razlog da se nije išlo u moderne proboje sakralnog graditeljstva. Cilj je da projekt bude izraz vjere i kulture i da nas povezuje s našim korijenima. Crkva uključuje muzej i knjižnicu u kojoj je već donacija biblioteke Kaje Pereković. Tvrđavski izgled crkve u pravcu Krbavskog polja ukazuje na braniteljski karakter naše povijesti, a graditeljska predloška po crkvi sv. Križa u Ninu ukauje da baštinimo i dio bizantske umjetnosti prema čemu se približuju vjerske prakse i drugih crkava. Slijedio je simbolički čin uručenja ključa biskupu Bogoviću od strane predstavnika graditelja konstruktora Željka Žderića nakon čega je biskup Bogović blagoslovio unutrašnjost crkve. Kardinal Vinko Puljić je nakon pozdrava i čestitki biskupu Bogoviću ovu spomen crkvu istaknuo kao najbolji način čuvanja sjećanja i pamćenja na sve naše prethodnike jer postoji opasnost da polako zaboravljamo svoje korijene. U tome nam pomaže i suvremena tehnika, pratimo samo crne kronike i svi su okrenuti sutrašnjici. Ova crkva želi probuditi svijet i stvoriti odgovornost za one koji su dali život za „krst časni i slobodu slavnu“, među kojima prednjače naši mučenici Nikola Tavelić, Marko Križevčanin i Alojzije Stepinac. Nismo baš narod koji zna vrednovati svoje velikane te nema onoga kojeg nismo spremni popljuvati. CHM će nas vratiti na naše velikane da ih znamo vrednovati, u njih se ugledati te ne zaboraviti svoje korijene. CHM će pripomoći da pamtimo i one koji nisu proglašeni mučenicima, a dali su svoje živote za svoju domovinu i narod. Njih čitava plejada od turskih vremena preko „oslobađanja“ nakon drugog svjetskog rata pa do domovinskog rata. Divio sam se onima koji su bili spremni žrtvovati se za najbliže i svoju rodnu grudu što nedovoljno vrednujemo. Ovo neka bude svetište zahvalnosti i učionica povijesti, kao što je prošle godine na ovom mjestu izrekao biskup Želimir Puljić i bio bih sretan da se to ostvari. Zašto imamo u sebi tako malo kršćanske radosti, sumorno i tmurno lice. Ne budimo ljudi mržnje već ljudi ljubavi. Ponekad se moramo zacrveniti kada vidimo koliko je mržnje u nas katolika. Pođimo u školu križa i učimo ljubiti. Tko to ne radi promašio je život. Ponašajmo se tako da se naši sveci ne stide svojih potomaka. U svom završnom govoru na kraju mise biskup Bogović je izrazio osjećaj zadovoljstva gradnjom CHM iako je bio tijekom zadnjih pet godina napadan. Kao glavne suradnike istaknuo je Ivana Vukića, Nikolu Turkalja i fra Nediljka Knezovića. Gradnjom ove crkve osjetio sam podršku i zajednišvo naroda u Hrvatskoj i inozemstvu, to je narod kojem sam posvetio svoju zadnju knjigu, to je narod koji je 45 godina nakon drugog svjetskog rata prenosio vrednote na svoju djecu i to je narod kojeg politički moćnici ne poštuju. Biskup je na kraju zahvalio svim zaslužnima kod održavanja misnog slavlja, a posebno fra Draženku Tomiću koji je pred pet godina svojim dolaskom u biskupiju najavio gradnju crkve blagoslovom kamena temeljca, a danas je svjedočio završetku gradnje crkve. Posebno mu zahvaljujem na pet godina provedenih u biskupiji na mjestu tajnika i kancelara kao i njegovoj Hercegovačkoj franjevačkoj provinciji kojoj se vraća. Biskup je na kraju pozvao Crkvu i državu da prevladamo moralnu recesiju te da svima iz raznih jama pronađenih zadnjih godina, ali i desetljeća i stoljeća na Krbavskom polju podno CHM izgradimo zajedničko grobište. Josip AnušićIzvor udbina.gs.webmediaeu.com |
Please, go to the next page below.
Croatian national costume (from the Trogir area?)
Dr. Slobodan Lang with Croatians from the region of Lika in their typical comstumes
The Church of Croatian Martyrs in Udbina
Ogulin Guard
Mrs Narcisa Potežica MSc, author of the photos, in front of the primary school King Zvonimir in Udbina
Croatian costumes from middle Bosnia
Parish of Blato near the town of Omiš
Formated for CROWN by prof.dr. Darko Žubrinić
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