The Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrated in Medjugorje

date: 14.09.2015.

On Sunday, September 13, 2015, Medjugorje celebrated the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross that is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday after the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Holy Masses were celebrated in the parish church at 7,8 a.m. and at 12 and 6 p.m. The solemn Holy Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m. on the top of Cross Mountain by Jesuit priest, Fr. Mato Anic, with 45 priests concelebrating. He is director of Radio Maria Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many pilgrims arrived to Medjugorje during the night and early morning to be present at that Holy Mass, some of them even walked in their bare feet.  The Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated after the parishioners, led by their parish priest Fr. Bernardin Smoljan, decided to erect this huge cross on the top of the highest hill in the area. The cross is 8.5 meters tall and 3.5 meters wide. The relics of the true Cross on which Jesus was crucified, were sent to them from Rome and were carved inside this Cross on March 16, 1934. The Holy Mass was celebrated on that day for the first time mad the name of the hill was changed to Cross Mountain instead of Sipovac up to that date. It was bishop Alojzije Misic, who brought a decree in September 1935, and declared the first Sunday after the Nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary to be the Sunday of celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Up to 1981, this was a feast only for the parishioners and their friends and relatives, while after the apparitions began, it became the feast for all of the pilgrims as well. (photos)