Croatia is a very Catholic country, and yet I am constantly surprised at how few locals, even the religious ones, can name the only miracle in the country which has been certified by the Vatican. As more than a million pilgrims head to the unrecognised Medjugorje in nearby Herzegovina each year, interest in Croatia’s actual miracle goes largely unnoticed, apart the first weekend of September.
Having lived in Jelsa on Hvar for many years, I have seen the importance of religious tradition first-hand with the annual Za Krizen (Behind the Cross) procession, now a part of UNESCO intangible heritage. Other reglious celebrations of patron saints, such as St Blaise in Dubrovnik, St Domnius in Split, or the 100,000 pilgrims who head to seen on the Feast of the Assumption get wide coverage and are well-known in Croatia.
And yet, the only actual miracle seems to be little known outside of its region. I have lost count of the number of religious locals I have asked to name the only certifid miracle in Croatia, and they express surprise when I tell them that it is to be found in the town they know better as the Centre of the World.
But the Eucharistic Miracle of Ludbreg was authenticated by Papal Bull by Pope Leo X back in 1513, after the local priest expressed doubts about transubstantiation. His doubt turned to horror, as the wine turned to blood. That holy blood is displayed in a glass case in a chalice in the main church in Ludbreg, having beeen paraded through the streets of Rome after its authentication all those years ago. You can learn more about the story in the video below.
Despite its relatively unknown status as Croatia’s only certified miracle, some 100,000 people visit Ludbreg each September to celebrate the Holy Blood of Christ. There are an array of activities – many religious, many not – and this curious little town bursts into life for the few days leading up to the Holy Sunday finale.
The main holy mass takes place on Sunday, September 5, in the park in front of a rather unusual church with a more unusual history. Built in 1994 after the fulfilment of a Croatian government promise to construct a church in Ludbreg is God would stop the plague in 1738, the church is only used once a year for this mass.
It is highly unlikely that there will be 100,000 pilgrims this year, due to the epidemiological measures, but there is a very full programme for those wishing to attend, both religious and other. The full programmes are below in English, but please check the Ludbreg Tourist Board Facebook page for the latest advice regarding the measures.
Holy Sunday 2021 follows on from what has been a good year for the miracle town. Earlier this year, the Archaeological Park Iovia opened on the main square, a major new attraction for the town. This has been followed by a very lively tourism programme under the heading Active Ludbreg Summer.
THE PROGRAMME OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY BLOOD OF CHRIST 2021.
Saturday, August 28th, 2021 – Youth Pilgrimage
18:00 Holy Mass
19:30 Spiritual music festival „Duga“
Sunday, August 29th, 2021 – The pilgrimage of the sick persons and persons with disabilities, hospice workers, medical staff and the staff from the Ludbreg Red Cross
7:00 Holy Mass in the parish church
8:00 Holy Mass in the parish church
10:00 The pilgrims’ procession from the parish church to the votive chapel, the devotion of the Stations of the Cross and Holy Mass
19:00 Sang recitations and litanies for the Holy Blood, evening Holy Mass
Monday, August 30th, 2021
7:30 Holy Mass
19:00 Holy Mass
Tuesday, August 31st, 2021
7:30 Holy Mass
19:00 Holy Mass
Wednesday, September 1st, 2021
7:30 Holy Mass
19:00 Holy Mass
HOLY THURSDAY, September 2nd, 2021 – The pilgrimage of the altar boys and the catechists
19:30 Holy Mass in the votive chapel (mons. Bože Radoš, the Bishop of Varaždin)
Sung celebrations and litanies of the Holy Blood, evening
21:00 The Holy Hour of Gethsemane
HOLY FRIDAY, September 3rd, 2021 – The votive pilgrimage of the neighbouring parishes and the pilgrimage for the military and the police
7:00 Holy Mass – Martijanec parish
8:00 Holy Mass – Sveti Đurđ parish
9:00 Holy Mass – Veliki Bukovec parish
10:00 The procession from the church to the votive chapel, the devotion of the Stations of the Cross, Holy Mass (mons. Jure Bogdan, military chaplain), joined by the pilgrims from Rasinja and Vinica
19:00 Sung recitations and litanies to the Holy Blood, evening Holy Mass (lead by the venerable Matej Glavica, this year’s chaplain and spiritual leader)
21:00 The youth wake
HOLY SATURDAY, September 4th, 2021 – The pilgrimage of the parishes from Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary
6:00 Holy Mass
7:00 Holy Mass
9:00 Holy Mass in the votive chapel, in Slovenian and Hungarian languages
10:45 The procession by the pilgrims, from the parish church to the votive chapel
11:00 Holy Mass in the votive chapel (lead by mons. Vjekoslav Huzjak, Bishop of Bjelovar-Križevci, co-celebrated by mons. Božo Radoš and mons. Josip Mrzljak) – the celebration will be supported by the choir lead by sister Kristina Cenkovčan
THE CONFESSIONS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM THE MORNING, IN THE ATRIUM OF THE CHURCH, AND DURING THE HOLY MASS IN THE OUTDOORS AREA OF THE VOTIVE CHAPEL.
The Afternoon programme:
13:00 – 15:00 The Eucharistic Adoration to the Holy Altar Sacrament in the Votive chapel for the spiritual healing of our families
15:00 The devotion of the stations of the Holy Cross and the blessing of the pilgrims
19:30 Sung recitations and litanies to the Holy Blood, evening Holy Mass
20:00 Holy Mass (lead by the Missionaries of the Blood of Jesus)
HOLY SUNDAY, September 5th, 2021
6:00 Holy Mass
7:00 Holy Mass
8:00 Receiving the pilgrims
9:00 The spiritual programme in the votive chapel (lead by venerable Matej Glavica)
9:45 The pilgrims’ procession from the parish church to the votive chapel
10:00 Holy Mass in the votive chapel (lead by mons. dr. László Német, Bishop of Zrenjanin, joined by the other bishops and priests in the pilgrimage)
The afternoon programme:
13:00 – 15:00 The Adoration of the Holy Sacrament of the Altar in the votive chapel, for the spiritual professions in Croatia
15:00 The piety of the Stations of the Cross and the blessing of the pilgrims along the main path of the pilgrimage
17:00 The Rosary of God’s Mercy in the parish church
19:00 Sung recitations and litanies to the Holy Blood, evening prayer
19:40 The Holy Mass of gratitude in the votive chapel
We ask the priests to please bring their surplice and tippet in red.
All the information is available in the parish office, phone: 042 811 116, e-mail: [email protected]
LET’S CELEBRATE THE HOLY BLOOD!
Mons. Josip Đurkan
Parish priest
Days of Ludbreg Holy Sunday 2021
The Organisers:
The town of Ludbreg
Ludbreg Parish
The town of Ludbreg Tourist Board
The Center for the Culture and Information
Radio Ludbreg d.o.o. and Lukom d.o.o.
Days of Ludbreg Holy Sunday 2021
Patronized by the Croatian Parliament
CELEBRATION PROGRAMME:
August, 27th (Friday)
20:30* – A Concert by the mixed choir „Podravina“ (Batthyany Castle)
August, 30th (Monday)
20:00* – A Concert Through the Generations (Batthyany Castle)
August 31st (Tuesday)
18:00 – A presentation of the Podravina Anthology (Batthyany Castle)
September 1st (Wednesday)
17:00 – The opening of the exhibition by Eva Vučković „Crvena nit“ (A Read Line) (Bakina Hiža)
19:00 – A presentation of the Croatian writer Ante Marinčić (Batthyany Castle)
September 2nd (Thursday)
11:00 – The opening of the House of Sun in Sigec Ludbreški
14:00 – The opening of the offices of the Varaždinski Cvijet co-operation
16:00 – The presentation of the Honey Cuisine of Ludbreg (Vintners’ Association „Trstek“ Cellar)
17:00 – The opening of the Ludbreg Fair (Ludbreški sejem), supported by the Ducati komponenti d.o.o. Ludbreg (Sv. Trojstva Square)
21:00 – The Concert by Jura Stublić & Film Group (in front of the NK Podravina stadium)
September 3rd, 2020 (Friday)
8:00 – Ludbreg Fair (Sv. Trojstva Square)
17:00 – The Source of Inspiration – the literary competition of the spiritual creation, held by Radio Ludbreg (Center for the Culture and Information)
18:00 – The opening of the exhibition of the sacred motives by Marija Kovačić (Batthyany Castle)
19:00* – The concert by the Town of Ludbreg Wind Orchestra (Batthyany Castle)
21:00 – Maja Šuput concert (in front of the NK Podravina stadium)
September 4th (Saturday)
8:00 – Ludbreg Fair (Sv. Trojstva Square)
9:00 – 11:00 Oldtimer car exhibition (Zanatski Square)
21:00 – Željko Bebek concert (in front of the NK Podravina stadium)
September 5th (Sunday)
8:00 – Ludbreg Fair (Sv. Trojstva Square)
SPORTS PROGRAMME:
August 28th, (Saturday)
9:00 – The Memorial Tennis Tournament „Marijan Kovačić“ (Tennis Centre Ludbreg)
15:00 – Trap shooting competition, organized by the Hunters’ Association „Srnjak“ (Ludbreg Hunters’ Lodge)
August 29th (Sunday)
9:00 – Trap shooting competition, organized by the Hunters’ Association „Srnjak“
11:00 – Beach volleyball competition (Ludbreg Sports Hall)
September 4th (Saturday)
17:00 – Championship football game, NK Podravina – NK Mladost Ždralovi (town stadium Ludbreg)
RELIGIOUS PROGRAMME:
August 28th (Saturday) – Youth Pilgrimage
18:00 Holy Mass
19:30 Spiritual music festival „Duga“
August 29th (Sunday) – The pilgrimage of the sick persons and persons with disabilities, hospice workers, medical staff and the staff from the Ludbreg Red Cross
7:00 Holy Mass in the parish church
8:00 Holy Mass in the parish church
10:00 The pilgrims’ procession from the parish church to the votive chapel, the devotion of the Stations of the Cross and Holy Mass
19:00 Sung recitations and litanies for the Holy Blood, evening Holy Mass
August 30th (Monday)
7:30 Holy Mass
19:00 Holy Mass
August 31st (Tuesday)
7:30 Holy Mass
19:00 Holy Mass
September 1st (Wednesday)
7:30 Holy Mass
19:00 Holy Mass
September 2nd (Holy Thursday) – The pilgrimage of the altar boys and the catechists
19:30 Holy Mass in the votive chapel (mons. Bože Radoš, the Bishop of Varaždin)
Sang celebrations and litanies of the Holy Blood, evening
21:00 The Holy Hour of Gethsemane
September 3rd (Holy Friday) – The votive pilgrimage of the neighbouring parishes and the pilgrimage for the military and the police
7:00 Holy Mass – Martijanec parish
8:00 Holy Mass – Sveti Đurđ parish
9:00 Holy Mass – Veliki Bukovec parish
10:00 The procession from the church to the votive chapel, the devotion of the Stations of the Cross, Holy Mass (mons. Jure Bogdan, military chaplain), joined by the pilgrims from Rasinja and Vinica
19:00 Sang recitations and litanies to the Holy Blood, evening Holy Mass (lead by the venerable Matej Glavica, this year’s chaplain and spiritual leader)
21:00 The youth wake
September 4th (Holy Saturday) – The pilgrimage of the parishes from Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary
6:00 Holy Mass
7:00 Holy Mass
9:00 Holy Mass in the votive chapel, in Slovenian and Hungarian languages
10:45 The procession by the pilgrims, from the parish church to the votive chapel
11:00 Holy Mass in the votive chapel (lead by mons. Vjekoslav Huzjak, Bishop of Bjelovar-Križevci, co-celebrated by mons. Božo Radoš and mons. Josip Mrzljak) – the celebration will be supported by the choir lead by sister Kristina Cenkovčan
THE CONFESSIONS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM THE MORNING, IN THE ATRIUM OF THE CHURCH, AND DURING THE HOLY MASS IN THE OUTDOORS AREA OF THE VOTIVE CHAPEL.
The Afternoon programme:
13:00 – 15:00 The Eucharistic Adoration to the Holy Altar Sacrament in the Votive chapel for the spiritual healing of our families
15:00 The devotion of the stations of the Holy Cross and the blessing of the pilgrims
19:30 Sang recitations and litanies to the Holy Blood, evening Holy Mass
20:00 Holy Mass (lead by the Missionaries of the Blood of Jesus)
September 5th (Holy Sunday)
6:00 Holy Mass
7:00 Holy Mass
8:00 Receiving of the pilgrims
9:00 The spiritual programme in the votive chapel (lead by venerable Matej Glavica)
9:45 The pilgrims’ procession from the parish church to the votive chapel
10:00 Holy Mass in the votive chapel (lead by mons. dr. László Német, Bishop of Zrenjanin, joined by the other bishops and priests in the pilgrimage)
The afternoon programme:
13:00 – 15:00 The Adoration of the Holy Sacrament of the Altar in the votive chapel, for the spiritual professions in Croatia
15:00 The piety of the Stations of the Cross and the blessing of the pilgrims along the main path of the pilgrimage
17:00 The Rosary of God’s Mercy in the parish church
19:00 Sang recitations and litanies to the Holy Blood, evening prayer
19:40 The Holy Mass of gratitude in the votive chapel
For the latest guidelines due to epidemiological measures, check the Ludbreg Tourist Board Facebook page.
To learn more about Ludbreg and its unique religious heritage, check out the Total Croatia Ludbreg in a Page guide.
