Sinj, the town of Our Lady and the Alka knights, will host the 5th Congress “Days of the Spiritual Heritage of Marian Shrines – Sinj 2026”, from April 16 to 18, 2026. This event has over the past years become a high-level meeting point for theology, history, art, and spiritual experience. Besides previous co-organizers (Sinj Tourist Board, in cooperation with the Shrine of Our Lady of Sinj), this year's Congress will see engagement from the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Split, further strengthening its academic and scientific significance.

The Congress begins on Thursday, April 16, with an evening Mass in the Basilica of Our Lady of Sinj – a shrine graced by Our Lady’s kind gaze which, for centuries, has been a place of history, vows, solace, and hope. The working session will be held on Friday in the Alka Knights’ Court, the Museum of the Alka of Sinj, a place of symbolism which testifies to the interweaving of the religious and cultural heritage of the Cetina region.

The lectures will cover various Marian shrines and traditions stretching from Central Europe and the Mediterranean to the Middle East and Christian East. They will explore the historical traces of Marian devotion, artistic and cultural heritage, and the contemporary challenges of preserving sacred spaces. Special attention will be given to the links between pilgrimage and tourism, which, in the context of current European research projects, will be discussed at the round table “Pilgrim and/or tourist: perspectives of visitors to Marian shrines”.

This scientific segment will be accompanied by professionally-guided tours through the Monastery’s collection and the Museum of the Alka of Sinj, a spiritual music concert by the Folk Singers of the Catholic Faculty of Theology, and the presentation of Friar Andrija Bilokapić’s book, “The Mother's Word”. The final day will see a joint walk along the Path of Our Lady of Sinj – a simple, but powerful reminder that shrines are not only subjects of research, but above all places of meetings and prayer.

The 5th Congress in Sinj confirms the continuity of a praiseworthy initiative that seeks not only to preserve the heritage and foundations of faith and identity, but also to reflect upon them openly and responsibly. In doing so, it balances science with spirituality – an approach which has become the Congress’ hallmark.