As Catholic men of Croatian descent we have a special connection with Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin, Mother Mary. She is affectionately known and reverentially acclaimed by the Croats as “Rajsko Djevo Kraljice Hrvata” (Queen of Heaven and Queen of the Croats).

In August 1715, in a Croatian town called Sinj, seven hundred Catholic warriors miraculously repelled and ultimately defeated tens of thousands of invading Ottoman Turks (led by Mustafa-pasha Čelić). It was reported that during the 1715 siege Our Lady appeared in white walking on the fortress walls of Sinj. The defeat of the invading Ottomans was directly attributed to the supernatural intercession of Our Lady. The townsfolk of Sinj as a vow of their eternal gratitude and as an act of veneration, donated gold to the local parish to form a crown for the coronation of Our Lady who was duly crowned as the Queen monarch of the Croats. This event has been celebrated and commemorated annually since 1716.

In memory of this magnificent victory, the people of Sinj hold a knightly tournament every year, known as the Alka of Sinj, which has become a symbol of their pride and steadfastness. The Sinj Alka Museum today preserves the reconstruction of this heroic battle, which testifies to the courage and determination of the defenders of Sinj in preserving the freedom and security of its city.

Providentially, the battle took place on 15 August 1715 on the very day of solemnity of the Assumption of Mother Mary (Velika Gospa), this date is a national holiday in Croatia on which day numerous pilgrimages occur in honour of Our Lady. Pilgrims out of devotion to their Queen from all over Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina, arrive in their hundreds of thousands into the town of Sinj to celebrate and venerate the solemnity of the Assumption “Velika Gospa”.

Some of the other prominent Marian shrines of pilgrimage in Croatia are; Marija Bistrica, Trsat, Aljmas and Medjugorje in Bosna-Hercegovina.