There is an old Croatian saying that suggests, “Only when you have lost something, do you truly appreciate what you once had”. This is especially true when it comes to an Easter tradition that many hold dear.
For the parishioners of the Sveti Antun Padovanski Croatian Catholic parish in Geelong, the feelings of nostalgia of a bygone era haunt many a living soul during the upcoming Easter festive season.
For years, Vlč Stjepan Gnječ, was the parish priest of the Croatian parish, which not only encompassed Geelong but also Ballarat and Mildura.
It was at the Holy Family Church, in the heart of the northern Geelong suburb of Bell Park – or ‘Little Croatia’ as it was then known – that Gnječ led his faithful in weekly prayer and worship including of course Easter tradition
The legend of the stražari
Born in the southern Dalmatian town of Metković, Gnječ arrived in Geelong in 1973 as a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Split.
He served the vibrant and extremely active Croatian community in his new hometown for a full 40 years, until his death in 2013, and he was remembered in the community for his diligent work with children, teaching religious education, the Croatian language, producing and directing theatrical plays and playing various musical instruments, namely the ‘squeezebox’ (piano accordion).
But it was an Easter custom that was unique to his Croatian hometown and the surrounding localities that he brought with him and introduced to generations of Australian Croats in Geelong, Ballarat and Mildura.
It’s fondly known as the legend of the stražari (Roman soldiers)….
As part of the Easter tradition, each year, Vlč Stjepan Gnječ would personally select 11 young local men to dress up in Christ era costumes and act the role of the 12 apostles (minus the ‘traitor’ Judas!) in a re-enactment of the events that unfolded on Holy Thursday.
The following evening, on Good Friday, they would return in completely different costumes and assume the role of stražari (Roman soldiers), complete with plastic shields and long, wooden swords!
The highlight would be Holy Saturday
The highlight, however, would take part on the following evening – Holy Saturday – when the stražari would gather around a makeshift tomb at the foot of the altar shortly after Mass had commenced.
Vlč Stjepan Gnječ, playing the role of the narrator, would begin the re-enactment of Christ’s resurrection aided by his booming voice, “Trećeg dana, vrlo rano….!” (On the third day, bright and early…)
What would follow would be a true theatrical spectacle, with lights flickering uncontrollably – thank you Crkovnjari! (Church elders) – the narrator’s voice rising in dramatic fashion to an almighty crescendo, as the soldiers would collapse and ‘pass out’ from ‘sheer terror’. The louder the thud from hitting the ground, the better!
The church would be enveloped in total darkness before – at Vlč Gnječ’s prompt – the stražari would suddenly rise and run hysterically towards all three exit points, screaming at the top of their lungs, “Isus je uskrsnuo!” (Jesus has risen!).
At this point, the Crkovnjari would switch on all the lights in the church – after remaining silent for the preceding three days to signify the silence of the sorrow accompanying Christ’s death – and the organist would play an uplifting song and the congregation would simultaneously join in the singing to celebrate Christ’s eternal victory over death.
The defeated roman soldiers would then return to the ‘gravesite’, and one by one lay down their weapons and assume their seats on the altar.
Chaotic scenes were ones to remember
For the younger members of the congregation, these chaotic and loud scenes were moments of unbridled terror and the ingredient of nightmares for years to come.
For the older babe (elderly ladies), the noise provided them with an irritating backdrop to their worship.
But to the vast majority of the gathered faithful, it signified something that was unique to their Geelong parish. Something that was integral to their annual Easter celebrations. Something both festive and memorable.
For most of my generation growing up, it was more than that. It provided – and still provides – a very fond memory of our childhood growing up in a Croatian community in an era that was different to today.
A very, very different era to today. A bygone era…
Happy Easter everyone, because as we know, “Isus je uskrsnuo!”
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article, tomorrow, when several ‘Strazari’ recall with great fondness their time in Vlč Gnječ’s ‘Roman army’….
VIDEO: For a quick trip down memory lane check out rare footage of the legend of the stražari (Roman soldiers). (Video supplied by David Deak)
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