CROATIAN MARIAN SHRINES, The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Refuge in Aljmaš

After the liberation of Osijek from the Ottomans in 1687, the material and spiritual renewal of the region began. The spiritual renewal was led by the Jesuit Fathers, who wished to place their missionary work under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. That is why they decided to build a sanctuary in her honor in the Baranja village of Lug. However, the sanctuary did not last long at that site. Due to historical and political circumstances, the Jesuits moved the statue of the Virgin Mary to Aljmaš in 1704. According to tradition, a Jesuit Father took the statue of Our Lady, wrapped it in white cloth, placed it in a boat, and said, “O Lady, wherever you stop, there will your sanctuary be.” Our Lady came to rest on the banks of the Danube at Aljmaš, and it is believed that she herself chose this site for her sanctuary. A Jesuit Father explained to the villagers why Our Lady had come to their village and asked if they were ready to offer her refuge. When they responded affirmatively, he told them that from that day on, they could call her Our Lady of Refuge. Thus, Our Lady of Refuge in Aljmaš has been venerated and honored for over three centuries. The sanctuary’s toughest years were during the Croatian War of Independence in 1991, when Chetnik forces devastated and demolished the church in Aljmaš and everything inside it. Under extraordinary circumstances, the statue of Our Lady of Aljmaš survived the church’s destruction and was found beneath its ruins in 1992. The discovery of the preserved statue of Our Lady was a spiritual sign of hope that she wished to be and remain at that site, so that she could gather numerous devotees in her sanctuary. The statue was then transported to Osijek, where it inspired the faithful in devotion and brought them together for prayer. During that time, many devotees cherished the song with the moving lyrics “We Will Bring Back Our Lady, Our Lady of Aljmaš”. The return of Our Lady to Aljmaš took place after 7 years of exile, on 1 August 1998, when she was transported from Osijek along the Drava and Danube rivers, accompanied by sixty boats. The first boat carried the symbolic name “Vukovar ‘91”. She was followed by the Croatian Army and police, as well as numerous faithful who sang with full hearts the song “We Brought Back Our Lady, Our Lady of Aljmaš”. Our Lady was welcomed in Aljmaš by a large crowd of pilgrims. Her statue was placed on the ruins of the church and sanctuary, and from that moment, pilgrimages to Our Lady of Aljmaš continued. The statue of Our Lady was crowned with a golden crown by Pope John Paul II during a grand Eucharistic celebration he led in Osijek, as part of his third apostolic visit to Croatia in 2003. Today, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Refuge in Aljmaš is one of the four most visited Marian shrines in Croatia, where for over three centuries, it has gathered numerous pilgrims in its embrace. In this Marian oasis of devotion and peace, they find refuge, renewing and enriching their faith, hope and love. This truth was recorded by Antun Kanižlić back in 1759: “The Danube will run dry before grace from it will cease. The Drava will return, before grace will shorten. Our Lady, the Divine One of Aljmaš, Refuge, Our Mother.” May she always help and intercede for us! doc. dr. sc. Tomislav Ćurić, Parish Priest and Sanctuary Custodian