Petar Barbarić

In 1889, the rector of the minor seminary of Travnik (directed by the Jesuit Fathers) sent a letter to the teachers of Bosnia and Herzegovina asking them to recommend gifted young men who wished to become priests. Petar's former teacher immediately remembered the brilliant boy. With the enthusiastic agreement of his parents, Petar was admitted to the Travnik seminary in the autumn of 1889. At the seminary, Petar led an exemplary life. He was consistently at the top of his class. Anxious to prepare himself as well as possible for his future ministry, he studied with ardor and learned, among other things, Italian, French, and German in order to be able to hear the confessions of the faithful in several languages. Appointed prefect of the Marian Congregation, he actively propagated devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and love for the Virgin Mary. In 1896, at the end of a spiritual retreat, he felt a pressing call to enter the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). His superiors, however, advised him to wait until he had obtained his baccalaureate before formally entering the novitiate. On April 7, 1896 (Easter Tuesday), during a school excursion with his classmates, the seminarians were caught in a violent storm and were soaked to the bone. Petar then contracted a severe cold accompanied by a strong cough and fever. Despite a stay with his family during the summer, his health continued to decline: he was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, an incurable disease at the time. At the beginning of 1897, the illness worsened considerably, forcing him to abandon his studies and remain in the infirmary. Conscious of his imminent death, he expressed an ardent desire to pronounce his Jesuit vows. Thanks to a special dispensation granted by the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Petar Barbarić was authorized to make his religious profession. He pronounced his perpetual vows on April 13, 1897, on his infirmary bed. He passed away two days later, on April 15, 1897 (Holy Thursday of that year), in Travnik, at the age of 22.

From the moment of his death, Petar Barbarić left behind an immense reputation for holiness among his companions and the faithful of the region. He was initially buried in the Bojne cemetery in Travnik. His grave quickly became a place of pilgrimage and prayer. In 1935, his mortal remains were transferred to the church of the Travnik seminary. However, after the communist regime came to power in Yugoslavia at the end of the Second World War, the authorities decided to suppress his cult. In 1944 (or shortly thereafter), his body was stolen by the communists, dragged through the mud, and then secretly walled up in the basements of the seminary building. The regime spread false rumors claiming that his remains had been destroyed. In 1998, following the restitution and reconstruction of the Travnik seminary, excavations were undertaken. The body of Petar Barbarić was found intact in the foundations of the building. On July 23, 1998, his remains were solemnly placed in the crypt of the seminary church (dedicated to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga), where they are once again venerated by numerous pilgrims.

The cause for the beatification of Petar Barbarić officially opened in the Archdiocese of Sarajevo (Vrhbosna). The diocesan informative process took place from December 16, 1938, to January 11, 1943. The decree on his writings was published on May 11, 1945. After the discovery of his body and the end of the communist period, a supplementary diocesan inquiry was conducted from February 25, 2003, to February 16, 2007. This inquiry was validated by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on February 1, 2008. The Positio super virtutibus was officially submitted in Rome on July 17, 2012. On March 18, 2015, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby conferring upon him the title of Venerable.

The spirituality of Petar Barbarić is characterized by a constant search for holiness through the faithful and joyful fulfillment of daily duties. He is the author of a famous maxim that summarizes his spiritual path: "Of all the paths that lead to heaven, the shortest, the easiest, and the surest seems to me to be the one that a man travels by fulfilling his ordinary duties." He had an ardent love for the Eucharist, the Rosary, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During his apostolic journey to Sarajevo on June 6, 2015, Pope Francis expressly cited Petar Barbarić before priests, religious, and seminarians, presenting him as a model of unity and virtue for all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, linking Herzegovina (his native land) to Bosnia (the place of his religious profession and death). Today, the Catholic School Center (KŠC) and the seminary in Travnik bear his name. His tomb remains a major spiritual center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, attracting many Catholic faithful every Thursday, as well as Orthodox Christians and Muslims who come to seek his intercession.