![\"hvar_jelsa\"](\"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hvar2-scaled.png\")
<\/p>Some journeys take us to new places. Others bring us closer to ourselves. Taking part in the Za Kri\u017een procession on the island of Hvar was not just a trip \u2013 it was a profoundly spiritual experience that stays with you forever.\n\nWe departed from Zagreb as part of an organised group, enjoying a comfortable ride and a warm Mediterranean welcome in Split as our first stop. After a stroll, coffee, and a guided tour through the city with our guide Neno, we boarded a ferry to Stari Grad and continued to Jelsa \u2013 a place that would become our spiritual home for the days ahead.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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We could sense how special this journey would be from the first evening. We attended the Barban Holy Mass \u2013 mystical, powerful, and deeply moving. The church was whole, people stood wherever they could, and the atmosphere was filled with silence and devotion. What touched us most was Jelsa\u2019s honest authenticity and the way it lovingly preserves its centuries-old heritage.<\/p>
The following day was dedicated to exploring the island\u2019s beauty. One group toured the historical town of Hvar, while the other spent the day in the picturesque village of Pitve. We visited the Winegrowing Collection, tasted local wines, and listened to stories about their origin, history, and significance to island life. The day was light and joyful, yet a quiet anticipation lingered \u2013 the moment we had all come for was approaching.![\"hvar_jelsa_procesijazakrizen\"](\"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hvar5-scaled.png\")
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At exactly 10 PM, the Za Kri\u017een procession began. Six processions from six parishes set out simultaneously, each with its route and cross-bearer, but all with the same purpose. At the head of each group, the cross-bearer carried a cross draped in a black veil, followed by hundreds of worshippers in silence and prayer. The night was calm, the flicker of candles and lanterns gently lighting our path, while the traditional chants of kantaduri echoed through the darkness and deep into our hearts.\n \u0160to procesiju \u201eZa Kri\u017een\u201c na otoku Hvaru \u010dini jednim od najsna\u017enijih duhovnih iskustava koja mo\u017eete do\u017eivjeti? Mo\u017ee li ovaj stoljetni hod kroz no\u0107 i ti\u0161inu postati putovanje koje \u0107e vam zauvijek ostati u srcu?<\/p>","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":8031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"loftocean_post_format_gallery":"","loftocean_post_format_gallery_ids":"","loftocean_post_format_gallery_urls":"","loftocean_post_format_video_id":0,"loftocean_post_format_video_url":"","loftocean_post_format_video_type":"","loftocean_post_format_video":"","loftocean_post_format_audio_type":"","loftocean_post_format_audio_url":"","loftocean_post_format_audio_id":0,"loftocean_post_format_audio":"","loftocean-like-count":0,"cozystay_single_post_hide_site_header":"","cozystay_single_post_site_header_source":"","cozystay_single_post_custom_site_header":"0","cozystay_single_post_custom_sticky_site_header":"","cozystay_single_post_hide_page_title":"","cozystay_single_post_site_footer_hide_main":"","cozystay_single_custom_site_footer_main_source":"","cozystay_single_custom_site_footer_main":"0","cozystay_single_post_site_footer_hide_above":"","cozystay_single_custom_site_footer_above_source":"","cozystay_single_custom_site_footer_above":"0","cozystay_single_post_site_footer_hide_instagram":"","cozystay_single_post_site_footer_hide_bottom":"","cozystay_single_custom_mobile_menu_source":"","cozystay_single_custom_mobile_menu":"0","cozystay_single_custom_mobile_menu_animation":"","cozystay_single_custom_mobile_menu_width":"","cozystay_single_custom_mobile_menu_custom_width":375,"cozystay_single_post_template":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"loftoceanMetas":{"authorName":"Igor","categories":[{"name":"News","link":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/category\/news\/","count":8}],"date":"12\/05\/2025","featuredImageSRC":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/image00006-150x150.jpeg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8027"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10767,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8027\/revisions\/10767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nEven the rain couldn\u2019t stop us. We walked all 25 kilometres in peace, gratitude, and belonging. This is not just a religious event \u2013 it\u2019s a walk through time, through the faith and history of the people who have made this island sacred. The cross returned to Jelsa at dawn \u2013 around 6 AM \u2013 and the moment was powerful, emotional, and nearly indescribable. People wept, prayed, and stood in silence. A profound sense of unity filled the air \u2013 something rare and beautiful. After some rest and breakfast, we spent the last hours soaking in the sun, sipping coffee, and sharing our impressions. Jelsa bid us farewell with warmth and light. The ride back to Zagreb was quiet, filled with gratitude. Our spiritual guide accompanied us the whole way \u2013 supportive, knowledgeable, and kind.![\"hvar_jelsa_procesijazakrizen\"](\"https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hvar4-scaled.png\")
Taking part in Za Kri\u017een is not just a journey. It is a deep, transformative experience \u2013 a reminder of the strength of community, the importance of tradition, and the beauty of faith. Please take a look at other Stay with Martha programs on our website: https:\/\/staywithmartha.com\/<\/a><\/p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"