On Wednesday, July 5th, the church of St. Cyril and Methodius, within the building of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary in Sarajevo, celebrated its patron saint. In addition to that, the Te Deum of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary (VBS) also marked the end of the academic year of the Catholic Theological Faculty (KBF) of the University of Sarajevo.
At the beginning of the solemn Eucharistic celebration, the rector of VBS, rev. Zdenko Spajić greeted those present, especially the leader of the Holy Mass, the archbishop of Vrhbosna, metropolitan Msgr. Tomo Vukšić, archbishop of Vrhbosna in peace cardinal Vinko Puljić, apostolic nuncio in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Msgr. Francis Assisi Chullikatto, Bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Franjo Komarica, bishop of Mostar-Duvno and apostolic administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan, Msgr. Petar Palić and the auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka, Msgr. Marko Semren.
The gathered were then greeted by the archbishop of Vrhbosna, announcing that this is also the celebration of the diamond anniversary – 60 years priest ministry of Msgr. Mato Zovkić.
After the readings from the scriptures and the proclamation of the Gospels, the life of the Holy Slavonic apostles and their mission was presented in an appropriate sermon delivered in the Croatian language by Nuncio Chullikatt.
“As we know, saint brothers, Cyril and Methodius were born in Thessaloniki, in the city where St. Paul carried out his apostolate. Sent by the Church in Byzantium on missions among the Slavs, our two saints fulfilled the task entrusted to them in an exceptional way (…) However, during their mission they faced serious and various difficulties, even treacherous battles, which made their mission very difficult. But, despite this, these saints have become equally dear, both in this part of Europe and elsewhere. They were God’s emissaries, called and known as the ‘Apostles of the Slavic Nations’ of Europe. They are unforgettable protagonists who shaped the history of the Slavic peoples, in which they forever left their indelible mark and seal”, said Msgr. Chullikatt, noting that the brothers accomplished everything with faith and perseverance.
He then explained how St. Cyril and Methodius had a special style of evangelization, which was to “adapt the message of salvation to the culture of the people, value the points of contact of the gospel with the mentality, religiosity and spirituality of the local population, and leave aside uniformity in the pursuit of unity”.
“In this apostolic commitment, without regretting the effort, they really did their best to endow the Slavic peoples with dignity, identity and spirituality, with full respect for their historical heritage, culture, tradition and religion. Therefore, they are seen as giants of the miraculous history of the Christian faith of the European continent, while their memory remains indelibly engraved in the memory of humanity”, explained the preacher, concluding that the missionary activity of the Slavic apostles is still fruitful today.
At the end, the nuncio said that “the magnificent apostolic works of these two saints teach us that, even if there are only two or a few of us, when we dedicate ourselves completely to a goal, we can really contribute to the creation of great works that by themselves have an incredible impact on the world”.
“Therefore”, encouraged Msgr. Chullikatt, “like them, we too can contribute to building a better future for everyone, above all by enriching the cultural, religious, educational and spiritual heritage of the peoples and nations”.
At the end of the Holy Mass celebration, Msgr. Zovkić addressed the present and briefly presented his life. In addition to numerous services, he particularly highlighted his 37-year service as a professor at the KBF and thanked God for “faith in the Church and perseverance in the priesthood in Bosnia”.
He also mentioned several priests who helped publish his books and, given that he has been staying in the Priest’s House in Sarajevo for the last 11 years, he especially thanked God for giving him the ability to still read theological works and write. “Thanks to God, my archbishops, fellow theologians and students that I could be a satisfied priest”, concluded Msgr. Zovkić
During the Holy Mass, the liturgical singing was assisted and animated by the VBS theology teachers led by Ph.D. Ivan Rako.
A large number of nuns, professors, students and employees of the KBF and members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the Holy Mass.
The fellowship continued during a joint meal in the premises of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary.
KT
