Izložba ”Križevi krajputaši župa Zagorska Sela i Sutlanska Poljana” u Zagorskim Selima povodom obilježavanja Dana općine i župe Zagorska Sela

As part of the celebration of the Day of the Zagorska Sela Municipality, an exhibition entitled The Wayside Crosses of the Zagorska Sela and Sutlanska Poljana Parishes was officially opened in the Old School building on Saturday, November 23. The author of the exhibition is Tatjana Brlek, a museum advisor at the "Staro Selo" Museum in Kumrovec.

The opening of the exhibition was accompanied by a museum-educational workshop Grandma's Paper Roses led by Biserka Krajcar, an expert in traditional knowledge and skills.

The exhibition was officially opened by the Mayor of the Zagorska Sela Municipality, Ksenija Krivec Jurak, who greeted everyone present, including the guests from Čučerje, led by their parish priest, and emphasized the importance of preserving local cultural heritage. This exhibition not only reminds us of the spiritual and historical values ​​of our community, but also of the importance of preserving tradition for future generations. These crosses and chapels are witnesses to the history and identity of our region, and through events like this we further cultivate awareness of their value. I am especially pleased to see how the tradition of decorating crucifixes, which was cherished by our ancestors, is being passed on to younger generations through creative workshops, she said.

Tatjana Brlek told visitors a rich story about the spiritual and historical symbols of the village, documenting a total of 39 crosses and chapels in the area of ​​Zagorske Selo, Plavić, Risvica, Ravno Brezje, Velinci, Razdrto Tuheljsko, Dugnjevac and Razvor. Visitors had the opportunity to hear about the crosses firsthand from the author and learn more about the reasons for their erection, who their commissioners and craftsmen were, and what symbolism they had in the life of the village in the past and today.

The exhibition was further enriched by priest Majk Rušec, who referred to valuable old books from the parishes of Poljana Sutlanska and Zagorska Selo, which are protected as cultural heritage.

Special emphasis was placed on the custom of decorating crucifixes with crepe paper wreaths, which women used to weave for major church holidays, and so after the exhibition, a workshop on making crepe paper decorations was held, organized by the Museum "Staro Selo" Kumrovec. Workshop participants were able to make flowers and various shapes with their own hands, preserving the memory of the tradition of decorating crucifixes.

The event brought together numerous visitors, delighted by the combination of history, culture and creative expression, emphasizing once again how important it is to nurture and preserve the heritage of the local community.