Christianity in Croatia

Christianity in Croatia: The Republic of Croatia spans Central and Southeast Europe. It borders Slovenia to the Northwest, Hungary to the Northeast, Serbia to the East, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to the Southeast. The country shares a maritime border with Italy to the West. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb, while the official language is Croatian.

The human population estimate for 2023 was 3,861, 967 spread across three major ethnic groups, namely Croats, 91.6%, Serbs, 3.2%, and others, 5.2%. Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith at 79% of the population. Christian orthodoxy accounts for 3.3%, other denominations, 5.1%, Atheism, 6.4%, other faiths, 2.3% and undeclared, 3.9%.

Brief History

The territory of Croatia bridges the Central European and Mediterranean worlds, as its history has been marked by this position as a borderland. The country was considered part of Hungary until the end of World War 1. In late 20^th century, six republics in the Balkans, namely, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Slovenia, Macedonia and Montenegro failed to revive a loose confederation. On June 25, 1991, Croatia declared independence, sparking the Bosnian war from 1992 to 1995. Now, almost two decades since the end of the war, Croatia is well established as an independent country. The incumbent President is Zoran Milanovic.

God’s Canvass in Croatia

The central and southern regions of the country near the Adriatic coastline and islands consist of low mountains and forested highlands. Natural resources found in commercial quantities include crude oil, coal, bauxite, calcium and asphalt. The fauna and flora of Croatia are presented below.

Fauna

There are more than 50,000 animal species in the country. Notable ones include brown bear, European pine marten, olm, lynxes, Eurasian griffon vulture, Busa cattle, golden jackals, sharks and sea urchins. Some of them are shown in the pictures below.

Flora

More than 5,000 plant species are native to Croatia. From the iconic lavender fields to towering oaks, flora is an integral part of the country’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Some of the plant species are presented below.

Beaches

Culture

Croatian culture is strongly influenced by Slavic traditions and customs. However, its location on the Adriatic Sea has also brought Mediterranean influences seen in the laid-back lifestyle, love of seafood, as well as emphasis on family and community.

Traditional Attire

 Nowadays, Croatian national costumes are most often worn at special events and celebrations. It is pertinent to note that each cultural and geographical region in the country has its own traditional attire that varies in style, material, colour, shape and form. Also, differences in dress code are associated with the social status of the wearer, like an unmarried girl or married woman. The traditional attires tend to be very bright colourful and elaborate. These go with decorative silk ribbons, lace work, gold or silver jewelry, corals, amber necklaces and pearls for the women. Some of the attires are shown below.

Croatian Cuisine

Croatian cuisine varies according to each region. The country’s food is fresh and flavourful. Some of the notable dishes are presented below.

Status of Christianity in Croatia

 The Joshua Project (https://www.joshuaproject.net) estimates that only 0.43% of the Croatian population belongs to the evangelical fold. This is hardly surprising as the official figure for Roman Catholics is 79%. What this means is that many people in the country are engaged in religion, as the Catholic doctrine basically denies the efficacy of the blood of Jesus to atone for the sin of the world (John 1:29), in favour of the unscriptural ‘purgatory’ doctrine. Given this outlook, we exhort believers to intercede for the salvation of all unsaved persons in the country, using its President, Zoran Milanovic as point of contact.

Prayer Points

1. Ask the Father to judge and uproot all demonic principalities and powers operating in Croatia.
2. Pray that He would destroy their influence on the people and purge them of all pollutions from the kingdom of darkness.
3. Ask the LORD to pour out His Spirit on all flesh in Croatia as He promised in Joel 2:28.
4. Pray that the Holy Spirit would remove the blindfold of satan and his demons from the eyes, heart and mind of all Croatians.
5. Ask the Father to destroy faulty spiritual foundations laid in the heart of those who profess Christ but do not honour Him with their lives.
6. Ask the Father to lay a new foundation in Christ in such lives.
7. Pray that He would send labourers into His harvest in Croatia.
8. Pray that God would sanctify all believers with His word, which is the only truth that sets people free from their bondages.
9. Ask the Father to empower believers with the Holy Spirit to enable them be living epistles of Christ to unsaved souls in the country.

Intercession Checklist

 From the map of Croatia provided in the text, select a town, city or region for focused prayer. Present the chosen geographical space to the Father and tell Him that you are claiming its people for Christ as His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). Remind the Father that He had promised to give the heathen to His Son as His inheritance (Psalm 2:8).

****Some materials sourced from https://www.travelchannel.com; History of Croatia, https://www.britannica.com; Croatia, https://en.wikipedia.org.