A solemn Mass and procession with the image of Our Lady of Health marked the start of the nine-day novena ahead of the feast of Our Lady of Health in Split’s Dobro district on Thursday, 12 November. On the first day of the novena, the restored church was reopened following several months of intensive work.
The procession and Mass were led by Provincial Father Siniša Balajić of the Franciscan Province of the Most Holy Redeemer. Ten priests, two deacons, Franciscan seminarians and numerous faithful attended the celebration. It began in the Chapel of Divine Mercy with the Rosary and novena prayers. A solemn procession followed, during which the image of Our Lady of Health was carried into the restored church. Children’s choirs from the Dobri and Skalice primary schools and the Parish of Our Lady of Health, along with seminarians, priests and the gathered faithful, participated in the procession. Upon arrival at the church, the Marian image was returned to its altar, where the Provincial incensed it and offered a prayer of thanksgiving. The Provincial sprinkled the church and the faithful with holy water, symbolically marking the church’s reopening for prayer and liturgy.
In his homily, Father Siniša reflected on the Gospel discourse on the Kingdom of God. He emphasised that the Kingdom of God is not merely a promise of future life, but a reality that God wishes to realise now. He noted that God’s presence is not always recognisable to the outward eye, as its revelation requires the gaze of the heart and faith. He warned of the human tendency to associate faith exclusively with extraordinary signs and miracles. He highlighted the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example of trust in God. The Provincial stated: “Faith does not create a new world: it sees the world anew, differently.” Reflecting on Jesus’ warning about false saviours, Father Siniša noted that in times of crisis, those who promise immediate solutions to all social problems and the complete elimination of evil often appear. Jesus calls his disciples to patience and persistent cooperation with God. He reminded the congregation that spiritual growth, like the growth of a plant, requires time. He emphasised that patience does not mean passivity or renunciation of responsibility, but active engagement in accordance with God’s will. Concluding his homily, the Provincial spoke of Christ as the light that comes into a world afflicted by darkness, fear and uncertainty. He stressed that evil is not defeated by imitating it, but by spreading good. He described Christ’s coming through the Blessed Virgin Mary as the beginning of a restoration that brings healing and new hope to humanity.
The restored Church of Our Lady of Health was built in 1936 to a design by architect Lavoslav Horvat on the foundations of an older church. Damage caused by water ingress during a storm in May 2021 necessitated extensive construction and restoration work. The restoration began with roof repairs and the arrangement of the façade and stone cladding, followed by work on the church’s interior. Due to the complexity of the work, the church was closed on Easter Monday this year. Liturgical services were temporarily held in the restored Chapel of Divine Mercy on the ground floor of the monastery. During the restoration, extensive work was carried out on the floor, ceiling and interior fittings. Following archaeological investigations and the protection of the discovered foundations of the old church, a new reinforced concrete floor slab with necessary insulation and a black-and-white stone floor were installed. The ceiling was restored with all its beams, a new choir was built, windows were replaced, and modern lighting, sound, heating and cooling systems were installed. The altars of Our Lady of Health and St Joseph were restored. The silver frame of the Marian image, a work by Split goldsmith Miloš Bote from 1931, was also restored. The new altar, pulpit, tabernacle and stone fonts for holy water, made of Brač stone, were designed by academic artist Father Ante Branko Periša. Some restoration work remains, including the restoration of the fresco of Christ the King by artist Ivo Dulčić from 1959, the restoration of the organ and Stations of the Cross, and the continued arrangement of the monastic spaces. The consecration of the new altar is scheduled for 25 April 2027, on the 90th anniversary of the church’s consecration.
After the post-communion prayer, the project manager, Father Boris Čarić, read a report on the work completed to date and thanked the Franciscans, the faithful, benefactors and institutions that contributed to the realisation of this demanding project. Following the Mass, there was a joint concert by the children’s choirs of the Dobri and Skalice primary schools and the Parish of Our Lady of Health.
