Page 167 - Dark Shades of Istria
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8.3 Case Study Event 2
to be no posters related to the Concelebrated Mass in the village (except
for the narthex of the parish church), which gives an impression that this
religious event had no tourist dimension. Nevertheless, judging by the
number of parked cars, the event was not attended only by the locals;
there were also several buses and organised groups. The first group of
pilgrims came at approximately 16.40, later followed by some hikers in
sports apparel.¹¹ A black man was seen, and some foreign languages were
also heard; however, we cannot treat this event as a recognisable interna-
tional religious event only based on these facts.
Visitors came peacefully to the square (Placa) next to the Parish Church
of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the castle, where the
stage and chairs in front of it were placed. People briefly socialised before
the Mass and journalists carried out their work conspicuously (the same
cameraman as in Lanišće was also there). There were many people on the
square, although it was not completely full. Members of all generations
were present, with predominantly late middle-aged or senior attendants;
there were no political representatives attending the event.¹² Because of
the greater number of people, the atmosphere was more lively than in
Lanišće. People searched for shade in the hot summer sun, but the or-
ganisers invited them to move closer to the stage where the altar was
standing. They dutifully responded to the invitation. The Concelebrated
Mass begun at 18.00 with a solemn procession that started in the parish
church, passing the believers and continuing to the stage. The proces-
sion was escorted by the singing of the church choir from Stari Pazin and
the believers. The Mass led by the bishop from the Catholic Diocese of
Gospić-Senj (see Figures 8.1 and 8.6) was a solemn religious event with-
out any other additions. Consequently, our research approach was the
same as at the Mass in Lanišće: only the sermon and the specifics will be
pointed out/analysed.
The sermon started by connecting the blood of Jesus Christ, who has
been feeding, nourishing and filling up the Catholic Church through cen-
turies, with what happened in Croatia and Istria with the blood of Bl.
Bulešić. The bishop also highlighted the environment that hates and per-
secutes Jesus’s disciples. He pointed out that hatred, including hatred of
the church, does not make anyone happy, and that only love can help us
¹¹ The webpage of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Poreč and Pula (Krizman, n.d.) states
that the pilgrims came on foot from Pula, Fažana, Vrsar and some other Istrian places. In
total, there were about 1,000 visitors/believers.
¹² This does not exclude the possibility that they were there among the believers.
167
to be no posters related to the Concelebrated Mass in the village (except
for the narthex of the parish church), which gives an impression that this
religious event had no tourist dimension. Nevertheless, judging by the
number of parked cars, the event was not attended only by the locals;
there were also several buses and organised groups. The first group of
pilgrims came at approximately 16.40, later followed by some hikers in
sports apparel.¹¹ A black man was seen, and some foreign languages were
also heard; however, we cannot treat this event as a recognisable interna-
tional religious event only based on these facts.
Visitors came peacefully to the square (Placa) next to the Parish Church
of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the castle, where the
stage and chairs in front of it were placed. People briefly socialised before
the Mass and journalists carried out their work conspicuously (the same
cameraman as in Lanišće was also there). There were many people on the
square, although it was not completely full. Members of all generations
were present, with predominantly late middle-aged or senior attendants;
there were no political representatives attending the event.¹² Because of
the greater number of people, the atmosphere was more lively than in
Lanišće. People searched for shade in the hot summer sun, but the or-
ganisers invited them to move closer to the stage where the altar was
standing. They dutifully responded to the invitation. The Concelebrated
Mass begun at 18.00 with a solemn procession that started in the parish
church, passing the believers and continuing to the stage. The proces-
sion was escorted by the singing of the church choir from Stari Pazin and
the believers. The Mass led by the bishop from the Catholic Diocese of
Gospić-Senj (see Figures 8.1 and 8.6) was a solemn religious event with-
out any other additions. Consequently, our research approach was the
same as at the Mass in Lanišće: only the sermon and the specifics will be
pointed out/analysed.
The sermon started by connecting the blood of Jesus Christ, who has
been feeding, nourishing and filling up the Catholic Church through cen-
turies, with what happened in Croatia and Istria with the blood of Bl.
Bulešić. The bishop also highlighted the environment that hates and per-
secutes Jesus’s disciples. He pointed out that hatred, including hatred of
the church, does not make anyone happy, and that only love can help us
¹¹ The webpage of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Poreč and Pula (Krizman, n.d.) states
that the pilgrims came on foot from Pula, Fažana, Vrsar and some other Istrian places. In
total, there were about 1,000 visitors/believers.
¹² This does not exclude the possibility that they were there among the believers.
167
