date: 06.02.2015.
The programme of The 5th Days of Murdered Franciscans continued with the prayer of Rosary led by Fr. Zeljko Barbaric and members of YouFra. Fr. Lovro Gavran, the Provincial of Franciscan Province of Bosnia, celebrated Holy Mass, with Fr. Miljenko Stojic and Fr. Tomislav Puljic, guardian of Siroki Brijeg monastery, and many other Franciscans concelebrating.
Fr. Lovro spoke in his homily how it is not the same to be the victim and the martyr. “In order for one to be called martyr, it needs to be proved that the murder took place out of hatred of the murderer towards the faith of the murdered person, as well as that the murdered person was the witness of faith, without hatred and desire for revenge, not because he did not have opportunity to avoid the death, although he would have avoided it, if it was possible. That does not mean that those killed while they were trying to save their lives, or those who were killed on the way of the cross would not have been martyrs. They were running back before the enemy, prudent as they were, so they would avoid the immediate death, but once caught and faced with the death, they did not betray their faith, they did not try to save their own life by selling their souls, but instead they accepted death – and that is why they can be considered true martyrs.” (pobijeni.info)
