CUC Employees Make a Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Vinagora

As part of the regular activities and spiritual programs of the academic community, employees of the Catholic University of Croatia made a pilgrimage to the Marian Sanctuary of Our Lady of Vinagora on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
 

The Vinagora Church of the Visitation of Mary is widely considered one of the most unusual and demanding Baroque architectural undertakings in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region. This historic and long-standing wine-growing area once belonged to the Ratkaj family's Veliki Tabor estate, and the veneration of Our Lady of Vinagora dates back to the 16th century when local laborers would come to pray before her statue during breaks from their work.
 

Reports of the statue's miraculous nature soon attracted the noble Ratkaj family, who erected a chapel. This expanded the pilgrimage site far beyond the borders of Zagorje, drawing the faithful from Zagreb, Styria, and the Prekmurje region.

The pilgrimage day began in the morning with a gathering at the sanctuary, followed by an expert presentation on the rich history and architecture of this Zagorje shrine, delivered by the parish priest, Fr. Dragutin Gereci. The spiritual program continued with a penitential service and Eucharistic adoration led by University Chaplain Fr. Branimir Jagodić.

The central part of the pilgrimage was a solemn Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Mladen Horvat, PhD, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Croats Parish in Toronto—whose parishioners have for years supported our University through donations for its work, equipment procurement, and Campus renovation. Concelebrating the mass were Rector Professor Željko Tanjić, Vice-Rector for University Quality, Identity, and Mission Professor Ante Crnčević, General Secretary of the HBK Assistant Professor Krunoslav Novak, Professor Jerko Valković from the University Department of Communication Studies, Associate Professor Richard Pavlić from the Faculty of Engineering, Associate Professor Josip Bošnjaković from the University Department of Psychology, University Chaplain Fr. Branimir Jagodić, and Fr. Dragutin Gereci.
 

In his homily, Fr. Horvat emphasized: "A university is not its buildings—a university is its people. This is a thought from an old man I met in a library while working on a translation. This idea, that an institution is not a building, is what guides me in today's address—which is why I come to you as people who educate young, future generations. The Gospel tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is the main idea of Matthew's Gospel, which must be proclaimed and preached... God has given us talents, and it is up to us to use them for our development as individuals; because a University grows when the people who are part of it grow and build themselves up as good persons," Horvat concluded.

Following the celebration of Mass, the employees' joint visit and spiritual renewal at Vinagora concluded with a social gathering at the premises of the Volunteer Fire Department (DVD) Desinić, for which the university is grateful to everyone who helped organize the event.