The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Zagreb played and still plays an important role in the lives of many faithful from Zagreb and all over Croatia. For generations, Jesuits there helped the faithful to see the beauty of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and accompany them in their lives as Christians. Jesuits have inspired and helped countless people to come to know God more intimately and to (re)discover the God of Mercy and Love in the sacrament of reconciliation. And so for people of all generations, the Basilica was and is a symbol of God’s presence and mercy.

Thus, when the Basilica finally reopened on the Feast of Christ the King (November 21, 2021), people were filled with joy. For 20 months, the doors of the Basilica were closed because of the earthquake that hit Zagreb on March 22, 2020. Although the severely damaged Basilica was out of order during these 20 months, Jesuits continued to accompany and help the faithful, celebrate Mass, and offer God’s forgiveness and mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. Still, people yearned for their Basilica, for it was a symbol for them of all the beautiful and great things that God has accomplished in their lives.

And so, when Fr. Ivan Matić SJ, the parish priest, called the faithful to help clean up the Basilica and prepare it for the Feast of Christ the King, many parishioners and friends of the Society of Jesus answered the call. By doing so, they showed how much the Basilica and Jesuits meant for them.

On the Feast of Christ the King, many people participated in the Mass and felt great consolation that the doors of their beloved Basilica were open again. As one person put it: “How does a pilgrim feel when he falls down on his knees before the Temple after a long, long journey; what must a person feel who returns to his home that was destroyed by war – I do not know. But I know that today we came back home.”

Jesuits CRO