MEDJUGORJE, November 26th – On a rainy autumn Sunday it took more than dark clouds and cold temperatures to keep the people of Medjugorje from attending a two-hour outdoor funeral Mass for Father Slavko Barbaric, the prime commentator on the message given by the Virgin Mary who has been daily appearing in the village for more than 19 years.

       Around 110 priests concelebrated the Mass on the open back altar behind the local twin-towered St. James’ Church. With a clear view towards Cross Mountain on the top of which Father Slavko died on Friday, the opening speech was given by the bishop of Mostar – the one man to give Father Slavko the most of a battle in the later years of his life.

       Speaking only rather shortly Monsignor Ratko Peric, the bishop of Mostar who does not believe in the Virgin’s apparitions, did not make use of the opportunity to seek a late reconciliation, probably reasoning that the local people would consider it strange if he praised Father Slavko only now when he was dead. Most significantly Bishop Peric said that he had been praying for the friar whom the Virgin Mary revealed to be in Heaven in her monthly message from Saturday. He also reminded the faithful that God has the right to call on men at any time that He wants to.

       Instead reconciliation with Father Slavko was being sought by someone that it was not at all to be expected from. In the end of his homily Father Tomislav Pervan, the Provincial of the Franciscans in Hercegovina and a former parish priest in Medjugorje, asked Father Slavko for forgiveness on behalf of all of the parish community. Addressing Father Slavko directly, the Provincial apologized, saying:

       “You did so much that it is almost impossible to think that one man only could do all that. And we commented on every move you made, all of your many undertakings: We commented on your books, on your prayer life, your fasting, your talks, your engagement with the orphanage and with the community for former drug addicts. Never were we satisfied. I ask for your forgiveness! On behalf of myself and the brothers, and on behalf of the entire parish community”, said Father Tomislav Pervan, clearly hinting that Father Slavko was simply too holy to avoid the treatment he now regretted in public.

       The Provincial also said that he had known Father Slavko since 1961 when his future fellow Franciscan entered the seminary at the age of only 15. And he recalled words spoken by Father Slavko during the first Holy Mass he ever celebrated, quoting Father Slavko to have made use of this occasion to say that “the only possible tragedy in life is not becoming a saint”.

       Father Tomislav Pervan likewise brought Father Slavko’s tirelessness to mind, reminding the congregation that Father Slavko was always up long before dawn and never went to bed before midnight.

       “When the other brothers asked him why, he just said that it was the only time he ever had for himself,” said the Franciscan Provincial who later heard Father Ivan Landeka, another former Medjugorje parish priest, when he stressed the same point in his speech.

       “He did not look out for himself or for his body. He did not eat regularly, and he did not sleep regularly, either. He did not do anything like anyone else used to do it. For Father Slavko the first priority was God, the second was other people, and only the third was...himself,” said Father Landeka, whose voice was breaking at the very end of his testimony: “If somebody should knock on the door to ask if Father Slavko is at home, we will say: Yes. He is at home,” concluded the former parish priest.

       What touched the congregation the most was when a 10-11 years old orphan from Mother’s Village, the orphanage that Father Slavko has organized and opened, paid thanks to his mentor on behalf of all of the children: “Thanks to you we now know that Nutella is sweet. Thanks to you we had white dresses like everybody else on our First Communion day. Thank you also for teaching us that getting bad results in school only means that we have to work harder Thank you Father Slavko," said the boy.

       During the funeral Mass the light brown coffin containing the corpse of Father Slavko was standing in front of the altar, the Blessed Sacrament continually exposed behind his head. The coffin, decorated with white and yellow marguerit flowers, was finally blessed by bishop Peric, who then ended the Mass, sending the parishioners of Medjugorje in procession towards the local cemetery.

       Among the visionaries, Spirit Daily only caught a glimpse of Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo, who looked calm although obviously sorrowful. Her sorrow is a double one since Father Slavko was also the uncle of her husband.

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