The “Assumption Walk” (Velika Gospa pilgrimage) was the inspiration of Br Dominic, who made the first pilgrimage back in 2013. The Knight’s were invited by Br Dominic to help organise and promote the Assumption Walk in 2019 and have been involved ever since as a Croatian tradition that needs to be promoted and supported. Culturally, the Croatian people are a Marian people. Our Lady’s shrines, are monuments of her closeness to our people and our people’s love and esteem for her in return, which are all over our land, from Marija Bistrica, to Medugorje, to Trsatska Gospa, to Sinjska Gospa in the Dalmatian hinterland.

On 1 November 1950, in the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption of Mary as a dogma:

By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

In 2021 the Knight’s organised the first Vino making event aimed at preserving our forefathers’ traditions alive and at the same time promoting brotherhood amongst the men participating, by making something together as a group. There were 30 men that took up the challenge from the Croatian community all over Sydney. We produced an organic Shiraz, chemical and preservative free. “The Humble Drop” was the name of our wine, and the label was dedicated to Zrinski & Frankopan as the year 2021 was their 350^th anniversary. Going forward we agreed to make each year’s label connected to a Croatian historical figure or event. With this the aim was to raise awareness of Croatian history by the labels being a conversation starter. We also introduced the rear label which had a summary of the event and QR code link for further reading.

• 2022 – 350^th Anniversary of  Zrinksi & Frankpan
• 2023 – The siege of Klis or Battle of Klis
• 2024 – 125th Anniversary of the consecration of Croatian youth to the Sacred heart of Jesus 1900 AD
• 2025 – 1,100th anniversary of the coronation of King Tomislav

In 2021 we also launched a revival of the ancient Croatian tradition “Svitnjak”, celebrated on the eve of the feast day of one of our greatest saints – St. John the Baptist. The ‘Svitnjak’ bonfire is lit as a symbol of “the burning and brilliant” light, St. John, who pointed out Christ in this world of darkness. Gathered around this symbolic bonfire, we will ask for the intercession of St. John the Baptist in helping us to prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts, our families, our Church and in our Croatian people as we battle against forces of evil that oppose us today.

IIn 2023 we launched the CroBasice / Svinjokolj also to carry on the tradition of the art of making fine home-made sausages. We made around 350kg of sausages, the bulk were smoked and the rest taken as fresh sausages for BBQ-ing. There were around 30 men involved and a number brought their sons along so they could also learn the art of sausage making. It was an enjoyable day and the finished product was a huge hit.