Miroslav Bulešić

Due to the Second World War and the urgent need for priests in his home diocese (Poreč and Pula), Miroslav Bulešić was recalled to Istria in the spring of 1943. He was ordained a priest on April 11, 1943, in the parish church of Svetvinčenat (Sanvincenti). He celebrated his first Mass two weeks later, choosing as his motto: "Thy kingdom come! Thy will be done!". In the autumn of 1943, he was appointed parish priest of Baderna (Mompaderno). In this region torn by fighting between German occupation forces, Italian fascists, and Yugoslav communist partisans, the young priest deployed intense pastoral activity. He showed himself to be courageous and impartial, stating: "I am a Catholic priest and I will distribute the sacraments to all who ask me: Croats, Germans, or Italians". He helped the poor, visited the wounded, and protected his population from military exactions, which earned him threats from all sides. In the autumn of 1945, he was transferred to the parish of Kanfanar (Canfanaro). There, he revived sacramental life, encouraged the recitation of the Rosary, introduced devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and invested himself particularly in catechism for children and young people. Faced with the rise of Tito's atheist communist regime, he openly denounced the persecutions against the clergy and the closing of churches. In the autumn of 1946, he was appointed vice-rector and professor at the diocesan seminary of Pazin (Pisino). He dedicated himself there to the spiritual and intellectual formation of future priests, courageously preparing them for the trials of religious persecution.

In August 1947, Miroslav Bulešić was tasked with accompanying Msgr. Jakob Ukmar, a delegate of the Holy See sent by the Bishop of Trieste to administer the sacrament of confirmation in the parishes of northern Istria, where confirmations had been suspended during the war. The political climate was extremely tense, with communist militias seeking to disrupt and forbid these religious celebrations. On August 23, 1947, in Buzet, communist militants attempted to invade the church to profane the tabernacle. Father Miroslav physically stood before the altar, declaring that they would only pass over his body. He thus succeeded in protecting the Blessed Sacrament. The following day, August 24, 1947 (the feast day of Saint Bartholomew), the confirmation was celebrated in Lanišće. To avoid provocations, the ceremony was moved up by one hour. After the Mass, as the priests had retired to the rectory, a group of communist partisans armed with knives and clubs burst into the building. Father Miroslav Bulešić was savagely attacked in the anteroom and fatally stabbed in the throat. His final words, reported by witnesses, were a prayer: 'Jesus, receive my soul.' Msgr. Jakob Ukmar was also brutally beaten and left for dead, but he survived miraculously after remaining in a coma for many hours.

The Yugoslav communist regime attempted to cover up the affair. The true murderers received only derisory sentences for simple "disturbing the public order," while the local parish priest, Stjepan Cek, was unjustly imprisoned. The authorities forbade the burial of the martyr in his native village of Svetvinčenat; he was therefore interred in Lanišće. It was not until 1958 that his remains could be secretly transferred to the cemetery of Svetvinčenat, and then, in 2003, solemnly deposited in the parish church of the Annunciation of Mary. The beatification process was initiated as early as 1956 by Bishop Dragutin Nežić, but it remained blocked by the political situation in Yugoslavia. It officially resumed on August 10, 1992, after the independence of Croatia. The diocesan inquiry took place from 2000 to 2004. On December 20, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree recognizing his martyrdom in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith). The beatification ceremony was celebrated on September 28, 2013, in the Roman amphitheater (Arena) of Pula, Croatia. It was presided over by Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, representing Pope Francis, before more than 17,000 faithful.

The spirituality of Miroslav Bulešić is deeply Eucharistic and Marian. From his ordination, he abandoned himself totally to the divine will. His spiritual journal, kept regularly, testifies to his serene acceptance of the martyrdom he foresaw. In the spring of 1944, he wrote: "If you want me for yourself, here I am ready. I give you my whole life for my flock". The most striking legacy of Blessed Miroslav lies in his message of heroic forgiveness. Faced with slander and death threats, he repeated: "My revenge is forgiveness" (Moja osveta je oprost), asking God to forgive his persecutors and to guide them on the right path. He is today venerated in Croatia and Slovenia as a model of priestly fidelity, of courage in the face of totalitarianism, and of brotherly love capable of overcoming hatred.