At the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration, the parish priest of Maglaj, rev. Franjo Tomić expressed his joy that after two years of pandemics and numerous bans, the faithful can finally gather for the celebration.

In his homily, father Juro emphasized that the greatest treasure and lasting honour of a nation are its saints. He quoted the famous German theologian Karl Rahner, who wrote in one place in his reflection on the believers of tomorrow: “Believers (Christians) of tomorrow will be mystics and saints - or they will not be.”

The preacher especially pointed out that the life of St. Leopold was just marked by a great miracle: the miracle of many confessions and conversions, often hard-core sinners. “May St. Leopold beg for mercy from God so that holy confession would be our meeting and conversation with Him, so that holy confession would renew our love for God every time in us, renew our longing for peace, truth and justice, and cheer our hearts so that we know, we will and we can comfort and make each other happy the way St. Leopold in the confessional knew how to encourage and comfort sinners to rise from their sins and embrace Christ who, as St. Leopold often pointed out, is our true doctor and medicine”, said father Juro, concluding his sermon.

At the end of the Holy Mass, the parish priest of Maglaj thanked all those who participated in the preparation of this celebration, all the pilgrims that came here arrival and gifted a picture to father Juro Šimić.

The liturgical celebration was animated by the Maglaj Parish Choir.

The parish was preparing for the celebration of the patron saint through 12 Wednesdays, a novena and a three-day service led by the Salesians from the KŠC Don Bosco from Žepče. After the Eucharist, the faithful were able to see an exhibition of paintings prepared by members of the Society of Fine Arts Mrlja from Žepče.

Let us add that for almost four decades, believers, mostly from the Žepa and Usora regions, have been gathering regularly for Holy Mass on “Leopold’s Wednesdays”. The shrine is also visited by many believers from Croatia and abroad, especially those traveling through BiH. The largest saint’s relic outside Padua, a part of the bone from the wrist of his right hand, is also kept in Maglaj.

The parish of Maglaj, first mentioned in 1623, was officially rebuilt in 1970. Today it has about 400 believers, while before the war, according to 1991 data, there were about 1 500.