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The story of Hvar`s Holy cross
In the first days of February, as far back as 1510., a strong, heavy, winter south wind was blowing. On February 6th the sky darkened and a heavy downpour began to fall, it lasted all day. Sometimes around 7 pm, the earthquake hit three times and the roof of the Annunciation Church in Burke collapsed. Sometime around that time, in one of the houses behind the Annunciation, the granddaughter of the port armourer Nikola Bevilaque was preparing laundry and set out to clean the dust in the room.
She took a small wooden, sooty crucifix and decided to clean it, but she noticed something strange. A red, thick liquid dripped from the crucifix. She called her mother and grandfather, who concluded that the paint had probably melted due to the humidity. However they went to get a neighbor, a local painter, who could determine exactly what it was. The painter - his name was Stjepan Vitaljić - told them that it was not paint that dripped from the crucifix, but real straight blood.
They immediately ran to the Annunciation after Matija Lukanić, the canon and administrator of that church. Lukanic was upset because the earthquake destroyed the roof church, but the news of the blood from the crucifix shook him completely. Even in his worst dreams, Lukanic could not imagine what was happening. All shaken, he carried the crucifix to the Cathedral and began to ring its bell.
In the following days, processions were held with a crucifix from which blood was still dripping. People were doing penance, whipping themselves in public, even children. Instead of carnival, dancing and merriment, there was fear, crying and moaning, hysteria in Hvar that February. The event with the cross hit Matija Lukanić the hardest, he preached impressively about the reconciliation of nobles and commoners, whipped himself to blood for feelings of fear and guilt, and finally died with a completely darkened mind, six days after the miracle, on February 16.
The small cross is honored by the people of Hvar for more than 500 years. This day and this event have left a deep mark in the history and life of Hvar and its people. Processions in honor of St. Cross - are held every year at the beginning of February all over the Island of Hvar.
