Our Lady of Remete

Marian devotion of Zagreb (Central Croatia)

The Marian shrine of Remetein the northern part of Zagreb, is considered one of the oldest shrines of the Virgin in Croatia. It is officially dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and currently functions as a Marian parish and sanctuary in the archdiocese of Zagreb.

Main data

Origin and history

The Marian shrine of Remetein the northern part of Zagreb, is considered one of the oldest shrines of the Virgin in Croatia. It is officially dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and currently functions as a Marian parish and sanctuary in the archdiocese of Zagreb.

La tradition Croatia presents Our Lady of Remete as an ancient protector of the city, to which the faithful have come for centuries to ask for protection in times of war, epidemics and dangers, leaving devotees and fresh votes that narrate their favors. However, the sources consulted do not contain in written detail the concrete legends of foundation or specific miraculous accounts; it is only collected that it is a sanctuary with a very long tradition of pilgrimages and thanks attributed to the intercession of the Virgin.

As for the documented historythe parish and sanctuary of Remete is attested as Marian sanctuary in medieval times and described as one of the oldest Marian devotion centers in Croatia, located on the slopes of Mount Sljeme, to the north of the capital. Official tourist sources of the city of Zagreb present the "Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Remete" as a Marian sanctuary, without providing an exact date of foundation, but indicating its historical character and relevance in the religious life of the city. A recent missionary chronicle explicitly quotes it as "the oldest Marian sanctuary in Croatia."

The image and the sanctuary

In the shrine of Remete, a image of the Gothic Virgin, very old and very esteemed by the faithful as special protector of the city of Zagreb and its surroundings. Local tradition knows it as Our Lady of Remete (Gospa Remetska). The sources consulted, however, do not provide detailed technical data (author, exact date, material, dimensions) or a detailed iconographic description; therefore, the material and all of the iconographic elements of the image are not with certainty. The presence in the sanctuary of frescos y exvotos who narrate or symbolize the gratitude of the faithful for the graces obtained.

The temple is officially known as Parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Remete and simultaneously as Sanctuary of the Mother of God of Remete. It is located in the north of Zagreb, on the slopes of Mount Sljeme. The church is part of a religious complex with the Augustinian tradition and also includes the subsidiary church of Saint Teresa of Avila, protector of Croatia. The available descriptions present it as a historical set, remodeled over the centuries, with religious and cultural value for the city, but do not explicitly mention a special legal title as a minor basilica or national sanctuary. As a result, only its condition of Marian and parish sanctuary of the Archdiocese of Zagreb.

Sponsorship and coronation

Our Lady of Remete is considered of the city of Zagreb and is an important Marian pilgrimage centre for the entire Central Croatia region. Various sources highlight the weight of Marian devotion in Croatia, where many temples, including the Zagreb Cathedral, are dedicated to the Virgin, and point out that the great Marian shrines are especially filled in the Solemnity of the Assumption. Remete is part of this network of sanctuaries as one of the oldest places of devotion to Mary in the country.

No explicit reference to a canonical coronation of the image of Our Lady of Remete, no year, pontiff or pontifical delegate are cited for such coronation. Accordingly, according to the information available, does not contain a documented canonical coronation of the image.

Party and devotion

La main party linked to the sanctuary is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15), patron of the parish and the temple. In Croatia, the Assumption is a national feast and the day of great Marian pilgrimages: many faithful go to the sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin throughout the country. In this context, Remete, as a historic Marian sanctuary in Zagreb, receives a significant number of pilgrims who participate in the Eucharist and in the processions in honor of the Mother of God.

The sources describe how in the solemnity of the Assumption the Marian shrines of Croatia are filled from the first hour with Eucharistic celebrations and processions, a sign of a very living popular religiosity. The devotion in Remete is manifested through walking pilgrimages from Zagreb and other localities, participation in the solemn mass, the recourse to confession and the presentation of promises and exvotes. The frescoes and offerings in the sanctuary testify to the history of favors attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Remete and the character of spiritual refuge for the faithful of the city. There are no official figures of inflow in the sources consulted.

Link to the Rosary

In the available documentation about Our Lady of Remete no consta a specific historical or legal relationship of this advocation with the prayer of the Rosary (for example, as an official sanctuary of the Rosary, historical fellowship of the Rosary or explicit liturgical title). The ordinary liturgical and devotional life of a Marian sanctuary of this importance in Croatia includes, on a regular basis, the prayer of the Holy Rosaryespecially in Marian vigil, in the ninth preparatory to the Assumption and in the great pilgrimages, but the sources do not explicitly detail these exercises.

Even without a particular documented link, the Rosary is theologically understood as a contemplative way to accompany Mary in the mysteries of Christ's life. In a historical sanctuary such as Remete, where the Virgin is invoked as a protector of the city and Mother of the faithful, the Rosary is naturally integrated into piety: it allows to meditate on the mysteries of the Incarnation, Passion and Glory of Christ under the eyes of Mary, and offers a praying framework to present to the Mother of God the personal, family and social needs of Zagreb and all of Croatia. Thus, devotion to Our Lady of Remete and the prayer of the Rosary illuminate each other as two complementary expressions of the same love for the Virgin.