President Milanović Attends 500th Edition of “Easter Holster of Kostel”
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended today in Kostel the 500th jubilee edition of the event “Easter Holster of Kostel” [“Kostelska uskrsna pištola”], which was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic.
Recalling his earlier attendance at the event eight years ago, President Milanović praised the 500-year-long tradition of the “Easter Holster of Kostel.”
“This castle, like most of our castles, has a distant origin. The Keglević family is originally from the Knin area, but they left traces of Croatian culture and history here. This is our nobility, our lineage, and the people here have always been and still are peaceful, which does not mean frightened and withdrawn, but simply rational. People here understand the relationship between man and man. They know what work is and what faith is, in the sense of allegiance and respect. Of course, this does not mean that other people in other parts of Croatia, and probably the whole world, do not know this,” President Milanović said at the opening of the “Easter Holster of Kostel,” extending his best Easter wishes to everyone.
This year’s edition of the “Easter Holster of Kostel” was held at the traditional location, the medieval fortress of Kostelgrad, a protected cultural heritage site. The event’s roots go back to 1523, when it was first held. It grew into a custom of shooting from a pistol during the time of Easter, marking the arrival of spring, and remains an all but unchanged tradition to this day and a popular tourist attraction as well.
President Milanović was accompanied at the event by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić