Croatian Americans’ Annual Marian Pilgrimage

Washington DC, September 14 – A two-day Annual Croatian Americans’ Pilgrimage to a Central Marian shrine in Washington DC started on Saturday, September 13.  Croatian American pilgrims came to Washington from all over North America on traditional, 33^rd Croatian Marian Pilgrimage, in Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception, organized by Croatian Catholic Union of U.S. and Canada (CCU).

With prayers and song the pilgrims celebrated the Annual Pilgrimage, which was first organized in 1970 when American Croats, under the leadership of CCU, built two Marian Shrines in Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington DC.  American Croats vowed then to organize a pilgrimage to Central Marian shrine every year and to pray for freedom in their homeland and peace throughout the world.

As for the message of this year’s pilgrimage, the president of CCU of United States, Melkior Mashina, said that the message was the same one Pope Ivan Paul II preached on his recent visit to Croatia.  He added that CCU is already preparing the next pilgrimage, which will include a concert by four church choirs of American Croats.

A choir from Croatian Parish of Cleveland performed church and folk songs at the pilgrimage while the Holy mass for the pilgrims was led by Reverend Mate Bizaca, Pastor of the Croatian Parish St. Anthony in Los Angeles.