After the introductory procession with the votive image of Our Lady, carried by members of the Croatian Cultural and Artistic Society Don Ivan Trobentar from Stup, the gathered faithful, several hundred of them, were greeted by the parish priest of Stup, rev. Miroslav Ćavar.

At the beginning of the Holy Mass, the Cardinal greeted the worshipers of Our Lady of Stup, whom he said had brought their intentions and needs to the Eucharist, and wished the Lord to “bless our life’s journey”.

In his homily, Archbishop Vinko pointed out that God had chosen Mary to enter into man’s reality through her. “She gave him a human body conceived under her heart by the Holy Spirit. By the sin of the first parents all died because death entered human reality. We see how man feels powerless before death. Science seeks answers to all problems, but before death it is silent”, said the Archbishop of Vrhbosna, emphasizing that Christ, with his resurrection, overcame death and gave the answer and meaning to life.

"After Jesus, his mother Mary was the first to enter into eternal glory in soul and body", he said, noting that this is celebrated on the feast of the Assumption. “Mary is our guide as to how and where we are to arrive and how to face the human reality of death”, said cardinal Vinko emphasizing how difficult it is to maintain a balance of spirit by listening to so many lies spread by the media.

He then spoke of the general disappointment in society which he called the “terrible destructive force” which destroys hope in man. Speaking of young people, he called them, not a lost, but a cheated generation living in a society of crisis that they did not cause. Reflecting on the upbringing of the youth, he told the story of Gandhi’s son Manilal, who was supposed to meet his father at the scheduled time, but belatedly lied to him that he was waiting for a car service instead of telling the truth that he was at the cinema. Wanting to teach him not to lie, Gandhi decided to walk back to his 30-kilometer far residence so that his son would have time to follow him in the car to think about what he had done. “If he had hit me, beaten me or ordered me, I would not have remembered it. But this gesture of his knocked me off my feet. I will remember for the rest of my life that a lie is evil”, the cardinal quoted Manilal and asked what kind of society are we living in where lessons are taught of “what are we, what are we allowed to be called, what language do we speak”.

“Those swear that they love this country. Whoever does not love his people does not love the country either. That is why we want to strengthen ourselves here in Our Lady in that faith with which we will resist the spirit of the public in which we live”, said the cardinal at the end of the Holy Mass encouraging those present to “by walking this earth, looking to one day come to heaven, we ask Our Lady to give us such an obedient and faithful heart so that we do not faint in spite of all the challenges we experience.”

Before the final blessing, pastor Ćavar took the floor, thanking all those who participated in the organization of the patron saint’s celebration. This was followed by a procession with lighted candles from the outer altar to Our Lady’s Cave where the Archbishop prayed litanies and blessed those present.

The Holy Mass celebration was animated by the youth choir of the parish of Stup.

This year also the community of believers at Stup, for the celebration of the patron saint, was preparing with the novena Holy Masses that began on Friday, August 6^th. The triduum Holy Masses were led by the guardian of the monastery of St. Anthony in Bistrik OFM Stipan Radić.

On the patron day, the Eucharist were celebrated at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00 and 9:00, which was a Holy Mass for the sick and was led by the cathedral parish priest and professor at the Sarajevo KBF, rev. Oliver Jurišić. The people’s Holy Mass at 11:00 was led by OFM Stipan.