Over 12,000 Catholic youths gather in Požega

The news in Croatian

1. inozemstvo  (n.)
   zemlje koje nisu naša domovina; strane države ↩︎
2. sudjelovati
   biti dio neke aktivnosti ili događaja; aktivno biti prisutan u nečemu ↩︎
3. razan  (m.)
   koji nije uvijek isti; različit, mnogih vrsta ↩︎
4. središnji  (m.)
   koji je najvažniji ili glavni među više stvari ili događaja ↩︎
5. katedrala  (f.)
   velika i važna crkva u kojoj je sjedište biskupa ↩︎
6. susret  (m.)
   dogovoreno viđenje više osoba na istom mjestu; sastanak ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What were some activities the young Catholics did during the two days in Požega?

Question 2: What was the central event of the gathering in Požega?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
inozemstvo  (n.)	abroad
sudjelovati	to participate
razan  (m.)	various
središnji  (m.)	central / main
katedrala  (f.)	cathedral
susret  (m.)	meeting / encounter

Read the full story

The eastern Croatian town of Požega hosted more than 12,000 young Catholic believers over the weekend for the 13th Encounter of Croatian Catholic Youth, one of the country’s largest religious youth events. Participants arrived from across Croatia, neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, and from Croatian Catholic missions in Germany and Austria.

The two-day gathering was held under the biblical motto “Ja sam trs, vi loze” (“I am the vine, you are the branches”). According to the organisers, this phrase was chosen to emphasise unity, spiritual connection and mutual support among young believers. The first event of this kind took place in Split 30 years ago, and the Požega meeting continued that tradition on a notably large scale.

Throughout the city centre, a packed programme unfolded on multiple locations. Young people spent the day in song, prayer and communal activities, including documentary film screenings, quiz competitions and performances by cultural and artistic groups. Volunteers were deployed in significant numbers in order to guide groups, provide information and ensure that the event proceeded smoothly.

The central religious moment was a Mass in the Cathedral of St Teresa of Ávila, led by Bishop Ivo Martinović of Požega. Addressing the youth, he underlined the image of Christ as “a young God” and expanded on the symbolism of the vine and branches as a sign of life, love and self-giving for the common good. He told participants that, from a Christian perspective, believers are “grafted” onto Christ and draw spiritual strength from that connection.

In his homily, Bishop Martinović linked the gathering to wider global realities. He referred to the current period as a time of “great crises, wars and divisions” in the world and within families and societies, and said that Christ’s call to unity and community remains valid today. He urged young Catholics to be “builders of togetherness” in their homes, parishes and wider social environment, not only during the event but in everyday life.

The bishop also prepared participants for possible difficulties connected with openly living their faith. He said that some might be misunderstood, mocked or rejected because of their beliefs, and encouraged them to stay patient, persistent and focused on spiritual growth, not just on physical, intellectual or material achievement.

The Mass drew high-ranking representatives of the Catholic Church in the region, including the President of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Dražen Kutleša of Zagreb, the President of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Tomo Vukšić of Vrhbosna, and Cardinal Josip Bozanić. Their presence underlined the national and international significance that church authorities attach to this youth encounter.

Local reactions in Požega were largely enthusiastic. Residents described the atmosphere in the streets as lively and joyful, noting how groups of teenagers and young adults sang, talked and danced together. Some older citizens who paused to watch said they were pleasantly surprised by the openness and energy of the visiting youths. Church organisers expressed satisfaction at the level of participation and suggested that the gathering shows a continuing interest among young people in religion and community life.

For many participants, especially those coming from other parts of Croatia or from abroad, the event offered an opportunity both for religious experience and for social connection. Church workers involved in preparation commented that young people often welcome such chances to meet in a larger faith-based community and to seek “something more” in their spiritual lives.

At the end of the main liturgy, it was officially announced that the next Encounter of Croatian Catholic Youth will be hosted by the Diocese of Krk, located on the island of Krk in the northern Adriatic. With this, church leaders signalled their intention to continue rotating the venue of the gathering across different Croatian dioceses, giving new regions the chance to welcome thousands of young pilgrims in the coming years.

Info: ‘Croatian Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Croatian’, a language school dedicated to Croatian language learning through a range of online courses and resources. It provides updates, insights and materials to support learners at different stages of their studies.