The Herzegovinian Franciscan Province took over Badija with great responsibility. Badija is full of the rich history of the Franciscan presence among Croats and is a cultural monument that holds the highest category of protection. With this responsibility and with a great desire we accepted that Badija should once more become the cultural and spiritual Franciscan centre of southern Croatia, a role which it occupied in previous centuries. Today, the Catholic Spiritual Centre on Badija which has been operating for several years is well-known not only in Croatia but also outside its borders. Namely, priests, nuns, spiritual leaders together with their pilgrims have found an exceptional place where they can hold their spiritual exercises, seminars and renewals in complete seclusion. For this purpose, the
monastery has at its disposal comfortably furnished rooms with a view of the turquoise sea, two chapels, St. Joseph and St. Francis, and the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, as well as large lecture halls, two dining halls, and food that is ecologically grown in the monastery’s garden. There is also a five-kilometre promenade around the island where during the day pilgrims can pray the rosary alone or with a spiritual guide while listening to the waves crash against the rocks and breathing in the fresh air of the thick pine forest from which on occasion fallow deer peek out.
For those who want to spend one day on the island, Badija offers a daily morning mass and
rosary with meditations, as well as evening prayer and Eucharistic adoration. They can enjoy
a meal in the restaurant which lies east of the monastery surrounded by beautiful pebble
and rocky beaches. They can also visit the “Father Bernardin Sokol OFM” Gallery and the
15 th -century cloister along with the Church in which the Lady of Mercy is worshipped – Our
Lady of Badija. In her honour, every August 2 nd the entire deanery of Pelješac and Korčula
comes together to celebrate her with a procession and prayer, as well as with a penitential
service so as to gain a full Pardon of Assisi.
The monastery is open from April until October. All queries about seminar dates can be directed exclusively via email to badijasamostan@gmail.com