On September 30, 2024, the friars of the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia, gathered to celebrate their Province Day. The event took place on the feast day of the Patron Saint of the Province, St. Jerome.
The Province Day celebration takes place each year at a different friary in the Province. This year, the St. Francis Friary in Split was chosen because 2024 marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Marko MARULIĆ, a poet from Croatia who is buried in the cloister of the friary.
The Province Day celebrations began with a meeting in the refectory of the friary, followed by a festive lunch, after which the friars had the opportunity to visit the city of Split.
The Guardian of the friary in Split, Friar Martin JAKOVIĆ, welcomed the Minister Provincial, Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ, the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Joseph in Slovenia, Friar Milan KOS, and all the friars who arrived from the Province. Later, Professor Father Mladen PARLOV gave a lecture about poet Marko MARULIĆ, placing particular focus on the influence that St. Jerome had upon the works of MARULIĆ. Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ thanked Professor Father Mladen for shedding light on the life and work of Marko MARULIĆ and St. Jerome, Patron of the Province.
Next, the Minister Provincial, Friar Miljenko HONTIĆ, highlighted the events that marked the past year, and talked about some new challenges that the Province is facing. A program listing Provincial events in 2024-25 was also presented. As he does every year, Friar Miljenko congratulated all those who celebrated their birthday in 2024 as well as those celebrating anniversaries of temporary profession, solemn profession and priestly ordination. He gave each of them a symbolic gift. Finally, the friars prayed for the deceased friars of the Province.
The celebration of the Province Day ended with a procession with a relic of St. Jerome, the recitation of Evening Prayer, and the celebration of Mass with the Most Reverend Zdenko KRIŽIĆ, Archbishop of Split-Makarska, Croatia, presiding.
Friar Zlatko VLAHEK, Provincial Secretary
