Retired Cardinal Vinko Puljic blessed the newly built Votive Church of Our Lady of the Angels in Bugojno today.
Husein Smajic, in 2014, quite by accident discovered the foundations of a medieval Catholic church from the 15th century on his property, in the locality of Crkvina, in which a female skeleton wrapped in gilded cloth was found, which historians suspect to be Bosnian Queen Jelena Gruba.
In agreement with Cardinal Puljic, it was decided to build an identical church near this archaeological site, which he announced would be a church of peace, reconciliation and respect.
The church was built by Smajic with his own money, but also with donations.
“I did it for the love of this people, for the love of our country, for the love of unity, so that we don’t separate but respect each other as people. So that we don’t become tribes. I do all this for peace, respect among nations,” said Smajic.
Cardinal Puljic said that in this way our past and future are preserved.
“In its own way, it is preserving the memory of our past and our trust in Our Lady’s intercession. Our world is especially devoted to Our Lady, and on this day, complete forgiveness can be achieved,” Cardinal Puljic pointed out.
About a thousand people from all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the diaspora, attended the blessing of the church.
