The guidelines, signed by Archbishop of Vrhbosna cardinal Vinko Puljić and Archbishop of Vrhbosna coadjutor, Dr. Tomo Vukšić, are addressed to all priests, monks and nuns and all believers of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, we bring you in full here and you can download the accompanying texts HERE.

Dear Brothers Parish priests and Parish managers! Dear brothers and sisters!

In accordance with the general guidelines and proposals of the Congregations for Worship and the discipline of Sacraments for the celebration of the rites of the Holy Week and Easter at the time of the coronavirus pandemic, that were published in the decrees on March 19^th and 25^th 2020., we, your shepherds, have brought the following decisions valid in the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna:

Palm Sunday, Holy Week rites and Easter Feast

1. Cardinal Vinko Puljić, Archbishop of Vrhbosna, and Msgr. Dr. Tomo Vukšić, Archbishop Coadjutor, preside over the liturgical celebrations and rites at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Sarajevo according to the following schedule and without the presence of the people:

Palm Sunday, Sunday, April 5^th 2020. at 10:30 a.m .;

Holy Mass of Blessing of the Oil, Wednesday, April 8^th 2020. at 10:30 a.m .;

Maundy Thursday - Mass of the Lord's Supper, April 9^th 2020. at 5:30 p.m.;

Good Friday – Passion of Christ service, April 10^th 2020. at 5:30 p.m.;

Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil, April 11^th 2020. at 8:00 p.m.;

Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord, April 12^th 2020. at 10:30 a.m.

2. The priests shall celebrate the Palm Sunday, the rites of Holy Week and Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord in the parish churches, in the manner prescribed in the Decree of March 25^th 2020., at such times as they see fit and without the assembly of the people.

3. The priests, exceptionally this year, should not attend the celebration of Holy Mass of Oil Blessing in Sarajevo, but on this day they should follow and spiritually participate in the celebration of Holy Mass of Oil Blessing in the Cathedral.

4. The priests will later on take over the blessed oils at the offices of the Ordinariate when the conditions for this are better and more appropriate.

5. After invocation no. 9, the “Universal Prayer”, which is being prayed on Good Friday, the following calling “For those suffering during the pandemic”, is to be added, which was proposed by the Congregation for Worship and Consecration on March 30^th 2020. for the entire Church by a special decree (No 155/20), which we attach here translated to Croatian.

6. Monasteries and religious communities shall also comply with the general instructions of the same Decree from March 25^th 2020.

Live celebration streaming via social media

7. Because of the restrictions on gathering and movement of persons, liturgical celebrations and rites of Holy Week are celebrated without gathering of people, all liturgical celebrations and ceremonies from the Cathedral in Sarajevo, thanks to the courtesy of BiH radio-television, will be available for watching directly on BHT1 and BHTHD (morning celebrations) and on BHTHD (afternoon and evening celebrations and rites).

8. The BHRT will announce the timetable for the direct transmission of liturgical celebrations and ceremonies from the Cathedral, and particularly announce immediately before the commencement of each celebration. May the priests, as soon as now, inform the believers of these direct transmissions and encourage them to become spiritually involved and participate in the same celebrations, rites and prayers from their own homes.

Dedication of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

9. On Saturday, April 4^th, 2020. at 11:00 AM, cardinal Vinko Puljić, Archbishop of Vrhbosna, will lead the prayer of Our Lady Rosary and Litany in front of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima who has passed through all our parishes in 2017., renewing the dedication of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to protect it during this severe coronavirus temptations.

10. Prayer from the chapel of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary in Sarajevo, with the exception of the nedelja.ba web-portal, will be live streamed on the Nedjelja.ba Youtube channel and on the Facebook page of the same name. All are invited to join in this prayer, also praying the Blessing Prayer that we attach here.

The blessing of food for Easter

11. Because the priests cannot bless the food for Easter in the usual way and in the church, let the blessing be performed in the family as a home church, as follows: May the head of the house gather the family at the table where the food for Easter blessing is served. After the prayers of Apostles Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary and Glory be, are prayed together, the head of the family takes the blessed water and sprinkles the meal, which they then all eat together.

Other regulations:

12. Given the unpredictability of the current coronavirus situation, we consider it reasonable to cancel the following events:

Saturday, April 11^th 2020., the traditional Easter congratulation of the priests, monks and nuns of the City of Sarajevo to cardinal Vinko Puljić, Archbishop of Vrhbosna;

Monday, April 13^th 2020., the traditional Easter reception of cardinal Vinko Puljić, Archbishop of Vrhbosna, for representatives of religious, cultural, diplomatic and socio-political life in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Wednesday, April 22^nd 2020., Convocation of Priests of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna;

Saturday, May 2^nd 2020., Ministrant’s Assembly in Travnik.

13. We also consider it reasonable to postpone the Confirmation’s celebrations which were set for the following dates: 18^th, 19^th, 25^th and 26^th April 2020.

14. The celebration of other Confirmation celebrations in May and June will depend on the further development of the pandemic situation and the parish priests will be informed in due time.

In these difficult days in which we live, because of the danger of transmission of coronaviruses, it is not possible for us, as a Church and the community, to gather and celebrate the rites of Holy Week and Easter. That is why what is celebrated in the church will now be celebrated in the family. The family is the “home Church” or small Church, and now it becomes, in some ways, the bearer of church fellowship and spirit. Therefore, we encourage all our families to nurture the spirit of prayer, the spirit of prudence, the spirit of people’s piety, the spirit of scripture reading in their homes on Holy Week and Easter Day. In this way, trust in God will increase in all of us, we will feel His closeness and rejoice for the resurrection of “Christ Jesus, our hope” (1 Tim 1: 1).

To all the priests, monks, nuns, lay faithful, and people of good will, we invoke the blessing of God and place you under the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Health of the sick, pray for us!