After departing Zagreb, Our Blessed Mother rode through Karlovac. This town is important for Croatian pro-life movemnt becaue there the first Croatian memorial, shaped in the form of the Merciful Jesus, dedicated to the unborn, innocent children has been erected in the local cemetery. Our Lady's journey to Udbina took Her through a region that was the last barrier of Christianity against the attack of the Ottoman Turks.
This is the reason why Croatia is called the bulwark of Christianity - "antemurale christianitatis."
Our Lady in the Icon of Czestochowa was not coincidentally invited to Udbina, where the monumental Church of the Croatian Martyrs was built and consecrated last year as the life's work of the local Bishop Mile Bogovic. This church is dedicated to the memory of all the known and unknown Croatian martyrs, who have died for their homeland from 1493 and the Battle of Krbava when 10.000 Croats lost their lives from the hands of Ottomans to the Croatian War of Independence (1991 – 1995).
Hence, this was the most appropriate location to welcome Our Blessed Mother and pray for the "unborn martyrs" of Croatia, who have lost their lives mostly during the Communist times. Also, - to ask the Mother of God to help Croats embrace the civilization of life, so that no more children would have to die.
Most reverend Tomislav Rogic, the parish pastor, welcomed Our Lady and led the prayers on behalf of Bishop Mile Bogovic. He stated that married couples should not wait for better times, but follow the example of their ancestors, who lived in worse conditions, but still being open to many children.
After a solemn farewell ceremony, Our Blessed Mother headed for Dalmatia, a region of Croatia on the Adriatic Coast.