Croatians on America’s East Coast celebrate Sveti Ante with picnic
- by croatiaweek
- in News
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NEW JERSEY, 13 June 2022 – Rain did not stand in the way of Croatians in America coming together for a picnic to celebrate Saint Anthony – Sveti Ante once again.
Held at the Cardinal Stepinac Cultural Club – Hrvatska Zemlja in New Jersey, hundreds of Croatians from America’s East Coast gathered for the traditional Croatian picnic which is held annually to celebrate Sveti Ante.
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Fr. Nikola Pasalic led the Holy Mass and procession. Fr. Nikola especially thanked everyone who helped make the picnic possible at Hrvatska Zemlja in New Jersey, which, thanks to Fr. Mladen Čuvalo and Croats from the Croatian Parish of St. Cyril, Methodius and Raphael from New York, was bought and donated to their parishioners, with the obligation to maintain and preserve it for future generations of Croatian emigrants.
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Fr. Nikola also thanked God and all the defenders, especially those who gave their lives for the free Homeland Croatia.
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After the Mass, those present enjoyed a lunch of traditional Croatian dishes.
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The women from the Society of the Holy Rosary took care of Croatian sweets, and through the sale they raised funds which will be donated to charity.
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Jelena Puljić Perić proudly announced how far she has come with the works on the Church of the Drina Martyrs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for which she is collecting donations. Like every year, Ivica Dubić from Croatian TV America sold Croatian souvenirs on the day to those present.
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There were also other Croatian home-made cured meat delicacies on offer, all of which were complemented by tamburitza players from New York and Viktor Šarić.
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The Consul General and the staff of the Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia in New York were also present on the day.
Although the weather prevented a number of Croats who planned to come and support the traditional gathering on the occasion of St. Anthony’s Day, especially those who live far from Hrvatska Zemlja in New Jersey, President of the Board of the Hrvatska Zemlja, Ivica Kajić was pleased with the atmosphere, nice company and help of all those who participated in the organisation of the picnic.
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The Croatian Picnic is an East Coast Croatian Day tradition that has lasted for more than fifty years. The organizer of the picnic is the Board of Hrvatska Zemlja NJ with the help of a group of parishioners from the Church of St. Cyril, Methodius and St. Raphael from New York.
