Velika Gospa Celebrated in Croatia

Gospa (Photo Credit: Sinj Tourist Board)

Croatians will celebrate Velika Gospa (The Assumption of the Virgin Mary) tomorrow on 15 August 2017, with over 100,000 people expected to take part in mass pilgrims to over 20 Marian shrines in Croatia.

The largest crowds will once again converge to the shrines in Marija Bistrica in the Krapina-Zagorje County in central Croatia, Sinj, Krasno in Split, Trsat in Rijeka, Pleternica in Slavonia, and Aljmaš also in eastern Croatia.

15 August, which is a public holiday in Croatia. is one of the biggest days on the religious calendar, and a large number of Croatians will mark the occasion by descending on the town of Sinj, located in the continental part of Split-Dalmatia County, to kneel in front of the world-famous shrine, the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj.

Gospa (Photo Credit: Sinj Tourist Board)

Tens of thousands of people are expected to make the journey to Sinj.

The shrine of Our Lady of Sinj has been present from around 1771. Four chapels were built on the lateral sides of the church which are connected to the shrine via three doors, where believers make confessions. Next to the shrine, there is a 43.5 metre-high steeple, built between 1896 and 1927.

Croatians have maintained a special love and devotion to the Great Lady Mary for over 200 years. Whilst a large number of the pilgrims will be Croatians, they will be joined by a number of tourists who are holidaying in the area.