The programme begins on Friday with the opening of an exhibition on Hvar’s Za križen procession by Snježana Požar, followed the next day by the 30th Duga spiritual music festival.
Over the following 10 days, the town will host concerts, exhibitions, folk performances, a theatre play, the Ludbreg Fair and other events.
Mayor Dubravko Bilić said the celebration was much more than a festival for this northern Croatian town, adding that Ludbreg was proud to welcome large numbers of pilgrims.
He noted that Ludbreg is Croatia’s only officially recognised Eucharistic shrine designated by a papal document, making the celebration an important part of the town’s identity.
Bilić also pointed to rising tourist arrivals and overnight stays, with further growth expected following the construction of a new hotel in the town. He highlighted the new statue of Saint Carlo Acutis, which will be installed in cooperation with the parish of the Holy Trinity.
"I am particularly pleased that we have managed to install a statue of Carlo Acutis this year. It marks the beginning of a new story from Ludbreg -- one focused on young people," the mayor said.
The cultural and tourism programme includes exhibitions, the opening of the Camino Centre of the World route, the 34th Ludbreg Fair, the Folkofonija festival featuring folk groups from Lithuania and Slovenia, and performances of Legends of Ludberga.
This year’s "Sveta Nedjelja" once again combines centuries-old pilgrimage traditions with culture, tourism and entertainment, with a programme designed to attract new generations of visitors.