At the beginning of the Mass, the Cardinal welcomed the attendants, especially the organizers of the prayer night Night of the vigil wanting to, by the intercession of Matthew the Evangelist who followed Jesus, all Christians to be ready always to do the same.

In his brief and intimate sermon, the Archbishop of Vrhbosna spoke about St. Mathew who was a customs officer, which was a hated title because he had collected taxes for Roman occupiers. „You have heard in the gospel that Jesus met and called Matthew, who immediately left everything and went. Today it is strange in the materialized world that Matthew left all and went to Him“, said cardinal Puljić arguing that Matthew immediately renounced „the attachment to material life“.

„This duty that he has readily taken, will mark his life. Writing the gospel he wanted to show his people the old prophecy“, said the cardinal and recalled that St. Matthew's life ended with torture death, and his relics are kept in one of the churches in Italy.

Archbishop Vinko later pointed out that Evangelist Matthew could have been an example for Christians on how to be a bright example of how to live the Word of God. „By the intercession of St Matthew, Lord give us the faith and the inner freedom to hear your word, not just with our ears but our heart, so that we may live by it witnessing the eternal life and the resurrection of the dead“, said Cardinal concluding his Sermon.

After the sermons, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was organized, and the Eucharist was broadcasted directly by Radio Marija BiH.

After the Mass, followed a program of meditative character focused on prayer for the fallen, singing appropriate songs and listening to important Christian testimonies about the situations in the places they live in and the experiences they have experienced.

At the beginning, the guests were welcomed by rev. Jakov Kajinić, a spiritual man in the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary, emphasizing that martyrs reflect Christian faith. „Our prayer is a cross against the hate of evil and beasts. Did you hear the story of a drop of water that became pearl after it was caught by the shell? The Christian witnesses also become pearls and shine bright and give glory to this world that has long lost the compass“, said rev. Kajinić and then sang and played an appropriate song.

Then, Sabrina Čović-Radojičić addressed the attendees; she is the coordinator of the praying evening Night of witnesses and the founder of the Maranatha International Association that is committed to ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue. The coordinator Sabrina explained the genesis and meaning of the AED (Assistance to the Church in Need) organization that helps Christians around the world. „We are happy we can begin the Prayer evening in Sarajevo for persecuted Christians in the world“, she said thanking the present for coming.

Cardinal Puljić also addressed the present expressing the joy that the cathedral hosted the Witnesses Night prayer. He emphasized the need for prayer for the enemies and said several testimonies of the strength of prayer when people in the emergency situations with the help of prayer remained alive. He emphasized the importance of prayer for those who persecuted Christians, and for the persecuted Christians he wished for God to give them strength to withstand persecution.

Then, Josip Milanović, an employee of the Archdiocese Youth Pastoral Center, read the names of priests, nuns, and lay people who were killed or abducted throughout the world during 2017.

AED Director for France Marc Fromager spoke of concrete examples of persecution of Christians all over the world with special reference to Iraq in the time of the rise of the Islamic State. He spoke of the suffering of believers and priests in Mexico, Congo, India, and China.

Then rev. Kirill Gorbunov presented his testimony of the life of Catholics in Russia. He was born in Moscow, in the former Soviet Union, in 1973. in the atheist family. He joined the Catholic Church in 1991., at the age of 17, after attending the World Youth Day in Czestohow, Poland. He worked as a journalist and editor in the Russian Catholic papers and Radio, and then as a counsellor at the Drug Abuse Center. After completing his studies at the Catholic Seminary in Saint-Petersburg, he was ordained a priest in 2010. From 2009. to 2017. he worked as Public Relations Director of the Archdiocese of Mother Mary in Moscow. Since 2017. he serves as General Vicar of the Diocese. His determination and commitment is expressed in the difficult conditions in which the Catholic Church in Russia is located, and is particularly known for his actions in the field of ecumenism.

Sister Houda Fadoul, addressed the present and talked about her experience in Syria. She was born in 1964. in Damascus. She graduated from University of Damascus as an agricultural engineer. She began her religious life in 1993. From 2002. to 2007., she studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University. At the same university, she acquired her spirituality licence in 2012. She performs the duty of the sister master of Deir Mar Musa Al-Habashi monastery in Syria. Her courage and commitment to Christian values, she proved especially in severe war conditions when she helped all people, regardless of their religious affiliation. She is active in the area of inter-religious dialogue.

Praying vigil finished with cardinal Puljić's addressing, who thanked God for the gift of faith and for all the faithful witnesses who were present in the Sarajevo Cathedral. „This has helped us out of our world, thinking we have it the hardest. Man has power, he just needs to believe in God“, said Cardinal, thanking God for examples of testimonies that inspire us.

The night of witnesses in Kotor follows on September 22nd at the Cathedral of Sv. Tryphon where the Mass will be led at 18.00 by the bishop of Kotor, Msgr. Ilija Janjić, and from 19.00 to 20.30 follows the Prayer vigil.

The night of witnesses in Dubrovnik is on September 23rd in the Church of the Little Brothers, where the bishop of Dubrovnik Mate Uzinić is due to celebrate the mass at 19.00, and from 20.00 to 21.30 follows the Prayer vigil.

The night of witnesses in Međugorje will be on September 24th in St. James' church, where Mass will be led at 18.00 by Archbishop Henryk Hoser, the Apostolic Visitor, and from 20.30 to 22.00 will be the Prayer Vigil in the Hall of John Paul II.

The night of witnesses is an event that has been inviting all over the world for the past 10 years to pray for persecuted Christians, that is, those who give their lives for Christ. In addition to prayer, the aim is to remind of the victims of persecution and killing, ie martyrs whose new names, unfortunately, are published every year in so-called „martyrdom“, a list of killed priests and laymen.

This program is realized in collaboration with the Pontifical Association Help to the Church in need, which for many years has helped numerous projects of the Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Unfortunately, the greater part of the Evening Prayer Night of the witnesses was interrupted by loud music from the neighbouring Sarajevo cafe, which has been a big problem for years already for the faithful community gathering in the cathedral.

K.N./ KT