Lojze Grozde Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Blessed Lojze Grozde
Lojze Grozde as pupil
Martyr
Born	27 May 1923 Zgornje Vodale, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Died	1 January 1943(1943-01-01) (aged 19) Mirna, Kingdom of Italy (now Slovenia)
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	13 June 2010, Celje Slovenia by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
Major shrine	Sanctuary of Our Lady at Zaplaz in Slovenia
Feast	27 May
Attributes	book, palm, snowdrop
Patronage	pupils, Catholic Action, poets, students, Slovenia

Lojze Grozde (born May 27, 1923 – died January 1, 1943) was a student from Slovenia. He was killed by a group called the Partisans during World War II. The Catholic Church recognizes his death as a martyrdom, which means he died for his faith. He was later declared "Blessed" on June 13, 2010.

Who Was Lojze Grozde?
Images for kids
See also

Who Was Lojze Grozde?

Lojze Grozde was a young Slovenian student who lived during a very difficult time. He is remembered for his strong faith and for being a peaceful person. His story shows the challenges people faced during World War II in Slovenia.

His Early Life and School

Lojze was born on May 27, 1923, in a village called Zgornje Vodale in Slovenia. He was born to a single mother. When he was four, his mother married France Kovač. At first, his stepfather didn't want Lojze around. But Lojze was a very good student, and this changed his stepfather's mind.

Lojze's aunt helped him a lot. She made sure he could go to school in Ljubljana, where she worked. Other kind people also helped pay for his education. He lived at the Marijanišče boarding school and went to the Classical Secondary School. He was an excellent student and also enjoyed writing poetry and stories.

Lojze was part of a religious group called Catholic Action. This group helped young people live out their faith. As he finished high school, World War II began. This made life very tough, and Lojze became even more devoted to his faith. He started thinking about studying to become a priest.

His Final Journey

In the summer of 1942, Lojze couldn't go home for vacation because it was too dangerous to travel. There was a lot of fighting and violence. He finally decided to visit his family for New Year's Day in 1943.

On January 1, 1943, he went to a church service at a monastery in Stična. This was his last communion. He then took a train, but the tracks were destroyed, so he had to walk. On his way to Mirna, he got a ride in a cart.

When the cart reached Mirna, a group of Slovenian Partisans stopped it. The Partisans were a group of fighters during World War II. They took Lojze and questioned him. They found a religious book called The Imitation of Christ and a small book about Our Lady of Fatima on him. The Partisans thought he was sharing secrets with their enemies. He was taken to a nearby building, questioned, and then killed in a forest close to Mirna.

Finding His Body

Rumors quickly spread about Lojze's sad and violent death. The Partisan group that had taken over Mirna was responsible. However, some people later said he was not treated harshly.

On February 23, 1943, Lojze Grozde's body was found by schoolchildren picking snowdrops. Even though he had suffered before his death, his body looked surprisingly well preserved. His body was taken to Šentrupert, where a group of people made a report. Lojze was buried in the cemetery there because it was too hard to take his body to his home parish at that time. The news of his death shocked many people, especially students in Ljubljana.

More than 60 years later, a document was found. It was written by a Partisan leader shortly after Lojze's death. The document said there was no proof that Lojze was an informant. The leader even said he wished he had been there to prevent Lojze's killing.

Becoming a Blessed Saint

Fifty years after Lojze Grozde's death, the Archdiocese of Ljubljana began the process to recognize him as a martyr and to have him declared "Blessed" and later a "saint".

When Pope John Paul II visited Slovenia in 1996, he spoke about Lojze Grozde twice. He said that Lojze was "just one of countless innocent victims" who died for their faith during that time. He called Lojze "a disciple of Christ."

On March 27, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI officially confirmed that Lojze Grozde was a martyr. His beatification ceremony took place on June 13, 2010, in Celje, Slovenia. It was part of the First Slovenian Eucharistic congress. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone led the ceremony, and about 40,000 people came to attend.

In 2011, Lojze's remains (his body) were moved to a special place in the church at Zaplaz. A beautiful side altar was made there, decorated with a mosaic. Parts of Lojze Grozde's remains, called relics, are also kept in other churches and schools as a way to remember him.

Why Lojze Grozde is Remembered

Many people see Lojze Grozde as a very important figure. A writer named Taras Kermauner said that Lojze showed great passion for his faith, was very disciplined, and cared deeply about his Slovenian heritage.

Lojze Grozde represents all the Christians and Catholics in Slovenia who suffered during World War II because of their faith. He is seen as a model for young people today. He showed that true heroism is not about fighting with weapons, but about living peacefully and standing strong in your beliefs. Many believe Lojze Grozde is one of the greatest young Slovenians, and his example is very valuable.