gospa4The Croatian people have always worshipped the Blessed Virgin Mary and in tribulations they have prayed for her help. They have trusted in her heavenly intercession, honouring her in token of their gratitude as the Queen of the Croatian people. They have also invoked her through history as Fidelissima Advocata Croatiae (the most devoted Advocate of Croatia).

gospa1The sanctuary of the Virgin of Sinj is one of the largest in Croatia. For centuries people has shown filial devotion to the beautiful Image of Mother of Mercy pa­inted probably toward the end of the 16th or at the be­ginning of the 17th centuries. The devouts have always related their lives and work, famine and opulence, defe­ats and victories, health and sickness to Virgin Mary. This unity between the local Catholic community and the Virgin Mary gives special attraction to the shrine at Sinj (near Split).

image027The most beautiful jewel of Sinj and Cetina County, and also one of the most beautiful paintings of Christian art painted on the canvas (58x44 cm) in the XVI. century, is certainly the Miraculous Painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, painted by an unknown artist. According to some people the painting was originally located in Sinj.

image046The town of Sinj is situated in Split hinterland, about 15 km far from the highway A1, on the west side of the field that extends along the middle flow of the river Cetina. The Illyrians were the first to settle here, then came Romans, and finally, in the VII c. arrived the Croats, who founded the town Sinj. The name of Sinj was first mentioned on November 21st 1345, and the name of Franciscan monastary in 1357.

gz4Franciscan convent which is closely connected to The Santuary of Madonna of Sinj was being built and built on gradually. Since the ancient times it has been bringing up and preparing juveniles for Franciscan service. In 1838 Sinj got the first gymnasium with lessons in Croatian, the classical gymnasium of Franciscan province of Most Holy Redeemer. In 1907 a new seminary was built along the Alka tilt yard which, at the end of the Second World war taken away by the then government.


samostanThe archaeological collection of Sinj Franciscan monastery is considered to be one of the oldest and most valuable collections in Croatia. It was founded in 1860 by diligent and ardent Father Ante Konstantin Matas, a great humanist and reformer, the headmaster of the Franciscan Grammar School in Sinj.

kruna oker podloga

Dear worshipers of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj, on our website—Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sinj—we have opened a new page titled “300th Anniversary of the Coronation,” where we will post relevant materials throughout this year, in which we celebrate the 300th anniversary of the coronation of the image of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj (1716 – 2016). A great celebration of this jubilee will be held on Sunday, September 25, 2016.