On Saturday, June 6, 2026, more than 20,000 participants attended the 8th annual St. Anthony Youth March. The March took place in an atmosphere of faith, hope, and communion that transformed the streets of Zagreb into a place of prayer, song, testimony, and joyful proclamation of the Gospel.
The March was conducted under the motto “If You Have God, You Have Everything” and brought together more than 20,000 young people, families, and faithful from Croatia and other countries. This year’s March was part of the Jubilee Year, during which Franciscan communities commemorate the 800th anniversary of the transitus of St. Francis of Assisi.
Friar Stjepan BRČINA organized the event on behalf of the Vocations Promotion Center of the Conventual Franciscan Province of St. Jerome in Croatia, the St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Sveti Duh, Croatia and the Sveti Duh Evangelization Community.
Because of the growing number of participants, the pilgrimage began in Dubrava, [a district in eastern Zagreb, Croatia] in front of the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where Friar Stjepan BRČINA celebrated Mass.
At the beginning of the Mass, Friar Ivan M. LOTAR, Pastor and Rector of the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua in Sveti Duh, welcomed the participants and encouraged them to experience every step as a journey toward Christ.
After the Mass, the pilgrims proceeded toward central Zagreb., to Ban Josip Jelačić Square, where they took part in an evangelization event featuring prayers, songs, and personal testimonies. One particularly meaningful moment was the communal prayer recited for the city, the homeland, migrants, and the needs of all people.
The March concluded at the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua in Sveti Duh, where the Most Reverend Marko KOVAČ, Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb, presided over the Liturgy of the Word, followed by Eucharistic Adoration. The day concluded in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, the source of vocation, communion, and hope.
The 8th annual St. Anthony Youth March once again demonstrated the vitality of faith among the younger generations. Through their pilgrimage, prayer, and witness, thousands of participants delivered a clear message: God remains present in the lives of young people, and St. Anthony continues to gather new generations around Christ. As resounded throughout the day in the streets of Zagreb: “If you have God, you have everything.”
Friar Zlatko VLAHEK, Provincial Secretary
