uto, 21. kolovoza 2018. 10:02
In Komušina and on the hill of Kondžilo, the largest Mary’s shrine of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese, the Assumption of Mary was celebrated on August 15th. The Mass was led by the Auxiliary Bishop of Vrhbosna Dr. Pero Sudar in concelebration with 15 priests.
From early morning hours, a large number of pilgrims was coming to Komušina near Teslić where they could have confessions and priests were at their disposal from 7.30 AM. At 9.00 AM the opening ceremonies began, followed by a procession with Our Lady's image to the hill Kondžilo where the holy mass was celebrated with the concelebration of 15 priests led by the Auxiliary Bishop of Vrhbosan Msgr. Pero Sudar, who also held an apropriate sermon.
Before the start of the Mass celebration, welcoming words were said by the parish priest and guardian of the shrine venerable Boris Salapić, Dean of the Usora Deanery.
”Dear brothers and sisters, we have come to this shrine encouraged by the dedication of our ancestors and by personal piety and love toward BVM. This sanctuary has preserved from ancient times and devotedly worships the miraculous character of Our Lady of Kondžilo. We also send prayers and hopes, but also hand over our pain, concerns to our mother, our helper and advocate, because we know and believe that she will understand, accept and help us with her intercession. In Mary, to the sky assumed, we are looking at the image of a man who believes and look at the salvation that has reached its peak in the Mother. She, by ending her earthly journey was immediately associated to the glory of her Son”, said venerable Salapić.
The congregation was then greeted by the worship leader.
.jpg)
At the beginning of his sermon, Msgr. Sudar emphasized that it is nice to see a mass of believers on the Kondžilo hill. He pointed out that all over the planet on the day of Assumption of Mary, wherever the Catholics live, masses, pilgrimages and processions are held.
”More than 250 years with a small break in the last war, people of Komušina and other believers and pilgrims come to this hill and make the covenant of their ancestors. It can be said that this is the longest tradition of pilgrimage in BiH. Your ancestors, our ancestors in faith followed the miraculous painting toward Kondžilo and listened and learned to walk in Mary’s path”, said the Auxiliary Bishop of Vrhbosna, pointing out that Our Lady's image in Komušina relics is one of the few from the pre-Otoman time, because it can not be proven that she could originate or “come” to Bosnia during the Ottoman Empire.
Speaking of the Assumption of Mary’s feast, he emphasized that it was the feast of the Mother whom God wanted to have. “It is the Mother of all the Mothers, we believe that she was assumed like her son, He has actually pulled her with him because she was a direct participant of God's plan. That is why it was not possible for an innocent and humble servant of God to taste the pain and bitterness of death and the scum of the grave”, said the Bishop, emphasizing that under her intercession we want to hear God's word she heard, listened and lived.
”That is why Mary is a sign and God's message, as every mother is a message of life on earth. Thus Mary is a message of eternal life, not just a sign but also a teacher, that through eternal suffering and suffering through the power and joy of life comes to eternity”, Bishop Sudar said in the end, emphasizing that man was created by the God of life and therefore one should not fear life and cross.
At the end of the Mass, the parish priest and guardian of the sanctuary at Kondžilo thanked Bishop Sudar and concelebrants, participants of the organization and celebration, as well as sister Slavica Tubak and the choir of the parish of St. Anthony of Padua from Žepče, who with their singing made celebration even more beautiful.
After the Mass, the faithful went to the parish church in the procession with Our Lady's painting, ending the official part of the celebration, after which followed people’s celebration.
.jpg)
Apart from the pilgrimage to Our Lady there are two more pilgrimages to Komušina, one in the last Sunday of May as a Pilgrimage to the Youth of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, and the other at the end of October as pilgrimage for the neighbouring parishes. Since there are only a few hundred believers in the parish, it can be said that this part is revived more than usual three times a year.
Our Lady's painting was mentioned for the first time in 1779., and it was only two times out of the parish for longer period of time. For the first time, in 1888. during the restoration in Graz, and another in 1992. when Serbian extremists expelled all Catholics from this area and destroyed the parish church. The picture was returned from Croatia to Žepče in 1996. and in 1999. to Komušina.