The central Mass celebration, on the outer altar, with concelebration of 20 priests and the participation of more than 1,500 believers, was led by father Slavko Slišković, Provincial of the Croatian Dominican Province.

The people present who filled the church and the church’s courtyard, were greeted first by the parish priest rev. Jakov Filipović expressing a welcome to everyone. In brief, he recalled why the patron of this religious community was changed in 1963. "After the great suffering of the people of this region at the end of the Second World War, when partisans killed 225 parishioners, and in the entire area 3 375 people, who were quoted in the book “Time of suffering”, by OFM Grga Vilič, and on demand of rev. Stjepan Fontana, and with the permission of the Ordinary of Vhbosna, the patron of this parish, since 1963., is celebrated on the day of martyrdom or of Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Since the parish was founded by the decree of Archbishop Josip Stadler, on June 30th 1900, the patron was celebrated on the birthday of St. John the Baptist, June 24th", said the parish priest, pointing out that with this, through the prayer-liturgical celebration of the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, wished to include Croatian victims of this area in his and Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

Father Slavko relied on these facts in his sermon and linked the martyrdom of the local people with the head of St. John the Baptist.

During the Eucharistic celebration, the parish choir sang led by sister Agnieszka, who returned from Poland to the community of Franciscan sisters of the Marian Missionaries in Odžak.

This faithful community prepared for its patron with a three-day prayers during which masses were led by the parish priest Jakov and rev. Matija Šimić, parish priest in Novo  Selo - Balegovac, and on the day before the central celebration, masses were served: "Workers" at 7:00 and "sick" at 8:00.

The specialty of the patron celebration in Ožak's parish, which has 1,400 permanent believers, is that after the entrance procession, traditionally, it blesses the water that the people then take and carry with them home.

KT