78th Anniversary of the building of the cross on Cross Mountain

78 th Anniversary of building of cross on Cross Mountain

On Friday, March 16th 2012 there will be 78th anniversary of building of cross on Cross Mountain and celebration of first Holy Mass under that same cross. Only 52 days passed ever since the day when decision for the cross to be built on the highest hill in the area, January 21st 1934 due to occasion of Jubilee Year of Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and decision was given to parishioners by their parish priest Fr. Bernardin Smoljan, until the day when cross was finally completed. Engineer Simun Boras from Mostar built the construction plan for the Cross, and Ante Dugandzic Redzo was monitoring all the works of construction.

Parish priest wrote in his report about those days the following: “On March 16, 1934 great group of people in procession started their journey towards the Mountain from the Church, and amongst them members of Franciscan Third Order, who carried the flag of their brotherhood with Name of Jesus, school children, priests and numerous people. The bells on the church rang all the time, husbands were shooting in the air with their festive guns, people prayed Rosary, sang Litanies of Blessed Virgin Mary, and this procession was slowly moving towards the Mountain whose top was already packed with people who were looking at this procession, as well as at other groups that approached from different sides. Holy ceremonies began at 10 a.m. I gave the appropriate speech to people, read letter from His Eminence Bishop, as well as other speeches of congratulation and regards from different sides. After that, solemn blessing of Holy Cross followed, and than with huge ovations from people I changed the name of mountain from Sipovac to Krizevac (Cross Mounatain). After blessing I held Holy Mass and Homily was given by parish priest from Studenci Fr. Grgo Vasilj.”

Already in the following year, on April 12th 1935 penance procession was held on the Cross Mountain and Holy Mass was celebrated at the end. In September of the same year celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was held on the Cross Mountain, all according to the order from local Bishop Fr. Alojzije Misic.

In the last three decades Cross Mountain became essential pilgrimage station on their journey while in Medjugorje, and every Friday pilgrims and parishioners climb the Cross Mountain while praying the Way of the Cross.
A relic of the True Cross of Jesus was received from Rome from Pope Pius XI and built into this cross.