Written by: Josipa Miler, Katolički tjednik

The story of the honourable servant of God Petar Barbarić is a testimony to the resilience, courage and strength of the human spirit. He was born in 1874 in the small village of Šiljevišta, Klobuk parish, in the heart of Herzegovina. The first years of his life were marked by difficulties and struggles that shaped him into the extraordinary individual he became. He overcame obstacles, accepted opportunities and left an indelible mark on the Croatian Catholic regiment, although today Muslims also vow to him.

Pious young man

He grew up in poverty tending cattle, but excelled in school, showing a keen intellect and determination. Already as a child, following the example of his parents, he developed a love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady and would carry a shepherd's staff in one hand and a rosary in the other.

This love for the holy followed him in the seminary and he was a role model for his colleagues, encouraging them to regularly receive the Eucharist.

Although his intention was to be ordained as a diocesan priest, after school spiritual exercises he wanted to join the Society of Jesus, which he did before his death.

After he got frost bites on a school trip in 1896, he got tuberculosis. It is recorded that already in the advanced stage of his illness he said to his confessor: "I finished the novena of St. Francis Xavier praying for recovery, and tomorrow I will start the novena of St. Joseph and pray for a happy death."

Day by day Petar became weaker, and as his confessor knew that he wanted to become a Jesuit when he finished college, he suggested that, if he were to receive permission, to take the Jesuit vows and become a member of the Society of Jesus. This happened on April 13^th, 1897, when he vowed poverty, chastity and obedience in the presence of witnesses. He died two days later on Maundy Thursday, April 15^th, at the age of 23, and was buried two days later at the cemetery above Travnik.

Hiding the body

Given that he died with the reputation of holiness, the informative diocesan procedure for his beatification was initiated in the Archbishop's Ordinariate in Sarajevo in 1939, and when it was completed in 1943, the documentation was sent to Rome. However, the process could not be continued due to the difficult post-war political circumstances, but also because the communist authorities removed Peter's body to prevent his veneration. Barbarić's remains rested in the Bojna cemetery in Travnik, and thousands of believers, both Christians and Muslims, made a pilgrimage to his grave. The rivers of pilgrims bothered the communist regime and, in order to stop the mass gathering, they desecrated the grave, stole the body and walled it up under the seminary building. The communists even spread the false news among the people that the body was thrown into Lašva river and that there is no need to look for it.

According to the Preface to the reprint of the first biography from 1900 by Father Ante Puntigam, with the arrival of democratic changes, part of the building of the Travnik seminary and gymnasium was returned to the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, and during the cleaning of the basement premises in 1998, a coffin was found with the body of the servant of God, Peter Barbarić, who, as it was feared, was not destroyed, but superficially buried in an inaccessible place without a mark.

Long-term process

The process was soon restarted and was completed in 2007 in the premises of the Archbishop's Ordinariate in Sarajevo, where on February 16^th, under the chairmanship of the then Archbishop of Vrhbosna, cardinal Vinko Puljić, the final session of the Additional Episcopal Procedure (processus suppletivus) was held in the cause of the beatification of the servant of God Petar Barbarić. The members of the Special Ecclesiastical Court appointed for that process who took part were: the president of the court, Dr. Pero Pranjić, the promoter of justice, Dr. Dražen Kutleša, and the notary rev. Anto Dominković, members of the historical commission in the same process, M.Sc. Božo Odobašić and M.Sc. Juro Babić, then Msgr. Ivo Tomašević and Dr. Zdenko Spajić, and Dr. Božidar Nagy, the then vice postulator who succeeded the deceased Father Vladimir Pribanić in that office. Stanko Barbarić, a representative of the relatives of the servant of God, was also present at the session.

On that occasion, the names and merits of those who worked on the cause until then were highlighted: Jesuits Fr. Antun Puntigam, Fr. Anđelko Jurić, Fr. Josip Antolović, Fr. Vladimir Pribanić and Fr. Rudolf Brajičić. Special mention was made of the former parish priest of Travnik, rev. Pavo Nikolić, who is responsible for reviving the veneration of the servant of God Barbarić, which was particularly evident in the organization of the solemn celebration of the 100^th anniversary of his death, which was celebrated throughout the year 1996/'97, and whose celebrations are held every month, each led by a Croatian bishop.

At the end of the session, the files of the process were handed over to Cardinal Puljić, sealed and then sent to Rome to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, where the process continued.

In July 2012, the General Postulate of the Society of Jesus, which also led the cause for Peter's beatification, submitted the Position on his virtues. The document contained 968 pages, and about 10 theologians and experts worked on its creation.

Approval for the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints to publish a decree on heroic virtues, which confirms that the servant of God Petar Barbarić, a novice-scholastic of the Society of Jesus, possessed faith, trust and love for God and neighbour, as well as the cardinal virtues, in the heroic degree of theological virtue: prudence, justice, moderation and strength and their associated virtues, signed on March 18^th 2015 by Pope Francis. This determined that from then until his beatification, Petar would be called venerabilis - venerable servant of God.

Living testimony

One of the contributions to his beatification was the publication of the first biography from 1900, which was written three years after Peter's death by his professor and tutor, Travnik Jesuit of Austrian origin, Father Ante Puntigam. The value of that work is evidenced by the fact that shortly after its publication in Croatian, it was first translated into German, and then into Italian, Slovenian, Hungarian and Czech.

The biography made a deep impression on readers, and at one point more was known about Peter's life in European countries than in his homeland. Numerous Catholic homes and institutions had his photo, and it is interesting that this work was also read by the last Austro-Hungarian and Croatian emperor, Charles Habsburg, who was canonized in October 2004 by Pope John Paul II. and declared blessed.

The influence of this young man who passed away in the name of holiness is also visible through the inspiration of many young men who, enthusiastic about his biography, decided to answer the spiritual call.

Miraculous healing

What really contributes to the process of being declared blessed and holy (or in other words: what is the condition) are the miraculous healings and helps that have been recorded and subsequently confirmed. Although no miracle in the case of the servant of God Barbarić has been confirmed so far, there are numerous testimonies about how, through his intercession, someone got a job, left a vice and improved their life, got married, etc. It is interesting to mention that by the end of 1945, more than 1 600 hearings received.

One of the miracles that was chosen in the beatification process happened in the 1970s in Split, when the mother of a five-year-old boy suffering from cerebral palsy asked the Jesuits from Split, Manuš, for help in prayer. Not long after that, prayer meetings of families, monks and novices were organized in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Father Josip Kukuljan suggested that they pray to Petar Barbarić for healing. Their prayer was answered and the boy, until then completely disoriented and unable to speak, began to recover, and he even walked in the church. Doctors later determined through examinations that the atrophy had disappeared and that the brain had recovered, but they had no scientific explanation for this.

Even today, many believers around the world are influenced by the intercession of the wonderful seminarian from Travnik, whose exemplary life is an inspiration to many, but also an example of how to live according to Christ's teachings and serve others with love and compassion. Although this process of beatification, like many others, is extremely long and we cannot know when it will be finished, it remains to pray that Herzegovina will receive its first blessed, who will spiritually connect it even more with Bosnia.

Prayer for beatification

Lord Jesus Christ, dignify to glorify your faithful servant Petar and let us, following his example, love Your Sacred Heart more and more and serve You faithfully in purity of body and soul.

Heavenly Queen and our Mother Mary, beg with your almighty intercession from God that Your chosen child will soon be exalted to the honour of the altar.

Saint Joseph, patron of Croatia, pray for Peter's beatification. Amen.

Contemporary of St. Little Teresa

Servant of God Petar Barbarić is a contemporary of St. Little Teresa, who is only one year older than him. At the same age, at the age of 15, they responded to their spiritual calling: St. Little Teresa to the Carmelite order, and Petar to the seminary. They suffered from the same disease - tuberculosis of the lungs, and they died in the same year - 1897, both famous for their holiness.