Križevci Greek Catholics took part this weekend in a jubilee pilgrimage to Vienna and Bratislava, organised to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Križevci Eparchy, which is being commemorated over the period from 1777 to 2027.
The group of 55 pilgrims was led by Križevci Bishop Monsignor Milan Stipić, accompanied by numerous priests, deacons and seminarians. During the pilgrimage, they visited the most significant historical and spiritual sites in the Austrian and Slovakian capitals.
The central event on Saturday was the Holy Liturgy served at the Greek Catholic Church of St Barbara in Vienna. This church was built by Empress Maria Theresa, and its history dates back to 1775, when, in cooperation with Križevci Bishop Bazilije Božičković, the royal institution Barbareum was established for the education of the Greek Catholic clergy. Empress Maria Theresa founded the Križevci Eparchy through her historic decree in 1777.
After the liturgy, the pilgrims visited the Cathedral of St Stephen in Vienna, where they held a service, and also prayed at the grave of Empress Maria Theresa in the Imperial Crypt.
On Sunday morning, the pilgrimage route led to Slovakia, where the Holy Liturgy was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Elevation of the Holy Cross in Bratislava. This cathedral is the seat of the Bratislava Greek Catholic Eparchy.
The pilgrimage concluded with a return to Vienna and a visit to Schönbrunn Palace, where the pilgrims toured the imperial residence and its historic gardens and parks.
