Today I stand before you not as someone above you, but as one of you—a son of our homeland, shaped by its soil, its struggles, and its spirit. My name is Jozo Jukic, and like you, I carry Croatia in my heart.
Our homeland is not just lines on a map. It is the echo of our ancestors’ footsteps, the prayers whispered in our churches, the sweat of workers, the laughter of children, and the sacrifice of those who came before us. It is everything we are—and everything we must protect.
We are a small nation, yes. But history has shown that size does not define strength. Unity does. Courage does. Faith in one another does.
There will always be voices that try to divide us—by region, by background, by politics, by fear. But we must reject that. Because when we stand divided, we are weak. When we stand together, we are unbreakable.
Defending our homeland does not only mean standing on a battlefield. It means defending our values. It means building a country where justice matters, where hard work is rewarded, where our culture is preserved, and where our children can live with dignity and hope.
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is choosing to stand firm despite it. Our people have faced hardship before—war, struggle, uncertainty—and we endured. Not because we were fearless, but because we refused to give up on each other.
So I say to you now: stand tall. Stand united. Stand proud.
Let no one tell you that our future is already written. We write it—together.
With unwavering courage in our hearts and unity in our hands, we will protect what is ours, honor those who came before us, and build something worthy of those who will come after.
[Scene: The Young Pope, Pope Pius XIII (Lenny Belardo), delivers a private address to a group of European cardinals in the Vatican gardens. The evening sun glows gold on the rooftops. He’s contemplative, passionate, and unmistakably radical as always.]
Pope Pius XIII (Lenny Belardo):
“Gentlemen… Croatia is on fire with faith.”
They say Europe is post-Christian. That belief has fled the continent like incense in the wind. But look east, to the Adriatic, and you will see a miracle forming—Croatia, that stubborn, wounded, beautiful land, is having a Catholic boom.
Why?
Because they remember.
They remember Jasenovac. They remember Bleiburg. They remember Tito’s godless chains. And they remember the rosary that their grandmothers clutched as the bombs fell.
In Zagreb, in Split, in Sinj, they are filling the pews—not for fashion, not for Instagram photos, but because they need God. They know what it’s like to lose Him.
They are not ashamed to kneel.
The West chokes on its irony and apathy. But in Croatia, boys still take their hats off in church. Girls still dress like the Madonna. And young men still dream of becoming priests—not influencers.
I saw a priest in Vukovar baptize a baby whose grandfather died defending that very parish during the war. Do you understand what that means? That is resurrection. That is the revival.
Christianity isn’t dead in Europe. It’s just gone underground… or better yet, east.
The blood of martyrs still nourishes the roots of the Church. And in Croatia, those roots are breaking through the concrete of nihilism.
Let them say we are backward. Let them laugh at processions and pilgrimages.
I say: Croatia is the future.
And the Holy See would do well to remember that.
So I propose this, with humility and divine fire: Let us anoint a Croatian cardinal. Let us hold World Youth Day in Medjugorje—yes, even if the bureaucrats in Rome still hesitate. Let us follow the flame before it becomes a bonfire we can no longer contain.
The Church will not be saved by strategies. It will be saved by faith. And right now, Croatia believes.
(He pauses, stares at the horizon)
Maybe the next Pope… will speak with a Croatian accent.
[Scene continues: Pope Pius XIII (Lenny Belardo) walks slowly among olive trees in the Vatican gardens. Cardinals listen as he stops under a statue of the Virgin Mary.]
Pope Pius XIII (Lenny Belardo):
“You know why Croatia is different?”
Because in Croatia… they never let go of the Virgin.
While France crowned reason, and Germany worshipped the machine, and Britain sold its soul to commerce… Croatia kept lighting candles for Mary.
They call her Kraljica Hrvata — the Queen of Croats.
They sing to her in the hills of Marija Bistrica. They carry her through the streets of Sinj in armor and tears. In every home, a picture of her — not as a decoration, but as a mother. Their mother.
And that changes everything.
You see, while the rest of Europe tore down its cathedrals and replaced the rosary with antidepressants, Croatia whispered its prayers in the ruins.
They kept the faith through Ottoman swords, Habsburg indifference, Nazi puppets, and Communist silence.
Why?
Because they believed Mary was watching. And now, I believe she is moving.
This… this is a Hail Mary play. A longshot. A miracle.
And it may be the only chance we have left.
Rome is tired. Paris is asleep. Berlin is cynical. But Croatia is awake. And Mary is waking with them.
I tell you: the revival of Europe will not come from Brussels. It will not come from billionaires or bureaucrats. It will come from a barefoot child walking to Medjugorje with a rosary in her hand.
That’s why the devil hates them. That’s why the media mocks them. Because they still believe the woman clothed with the sun can crush the serpent’s head.
So laugh, if you must. But I see it clearly now:
This Hail Mary from Croatia… could save us all.
(He looks up at the statue of Mary, softening)
Hail Mary, full of grace. Full of defiance. Full of fire. Lead us back from the edge.
Joe smiles, straightens his shoulders, and steps into the role with gravity and fire.
“If I were King Tomislav for a single day,” Joe says, “I would gather the people in the fields like in the old days — no microphones, no cameras — just hearts open under the sky.”
“First decree: all debts erased. Wiped clean, like rain washing blood from stone. Student loans, mortgages, credit cards, government IOUs — gone. Every man, woman, and child would wake up free. Not in chains to digits on a screen.”
He pauses, his eyes fierce.
“Second decree: usury — outlawed. Interest on loans? Dead. Parasites who live by lending at interest would find no place in my kingdom. The money-changers would not be allowed to build empires on the backs of peasants. They’d have to learn how to work again — like everyone else.”
Joe looks around the room, voice quieter now, like he’s speaking to something ancient.
“This economy of debt is a prison. A slow-drip poison. If I were King Tomislav, even for one sunset, I’d break that curse. I’d burn the contracts, free the people, and set the wheels of true justice in motion. One day is enough when the heart is right and the sword is sharp.”
He grins.
“And maybe we’d have a feast, too. Boar, bread, and the strongest rakija in the land. Because freedom tastes better with a full belly and a clean conscience.”
In the flickering candlelight of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Pius XIII—Lenny Belardo—stands on his balcony, arms outstretched over St. Peter’s Square, radiating a divine ecstasy few have seen in centuries. The world is changing. Trump, once a Babylonian figure of chaos, now cries out, “Bring Christ back to school!” The Jews—once wary, now awakened—echo the call: “One for Israel!” And even the steely-eyed cadres of the Chinese Communist Party, gathered in underground churches and secret cells, are reading aloud the locust-laced visions of Revelation 9 to the tired, hopeful proletariat.
The Pope knows the catalyst.
“The 13th Croatian Psyops Brigade,” he whispers, his voice trembling with a blend of awe and amusement. “Za Dom Spremni!” he suddenly shouts, startling the Swiss Guard and shaking pigeons from the Basilica roof.
These weren’t just military operatives. They were angels in digital camouflage, sons of Herzegovina who hacked the algorithmic Babel of the modern world and redirected its frequencies toward the Lamb of God. They inserted memes like mustard seeds into the heart of global consciousness. They smuggled sermons into TikToks and Scripture into Call of Duty lobbies. The Word became viral.
Pius XIII presses his ringed hand to his heart. He knows what must come next.
A papal triptych: Jerusalem, Beijing, Mar-a-Lago.
He will ride not on a donkey, but on a drone—white, silent, dove-like—over the cities of men. And he will say:
“The age of post-truth is over. The Logos has returned. The world has been psyopped… into salvation.”
The grand hall of the Vatican is quiet, the stone walls echoing with a sense of history. Pope Pius XIII, dressed in his white robes, stands at a large wooden podium, addressing a small group of trusted advisors and leaders. His gaze is intense, his voice calm but commanding.
POPE PIUS XIII (softly but firmly) “Democracy is not simply a system of government. It is a moral imperative. And Christian socialism, the kind of socialism that bears the teachings of Christ, is not about taking away from the rich or punishing the powerful—it is about sharing. Sharing everything. Sharing the fruits of labor, the wealth of the land, and most importantly, sharing power.”
He pauses, letting the weight of his words sink in. His eyes scan the room, looking each advisor in the eye.
POPE PIUS XIII “Jesus Himself taught us that to be great in the Kingdom of God, one must be the servant of all. What does that mean, if not to serve the people? To share power, not hoard it? To lift up those who are weak, poor, and oppressed, so that all may have an equal chance at the riches of life—whether they be material or spiritual.”
The advisors shift uncomfortably, some nodding in agreement, others skeptical. Pope Pius XIII’s tone grows more impassioned.
POPE PIUS XIII “We have failed if we allow power to remain concentrated in the hands of the few. We have failed if the wealth of the world, the resources that God has provided, are hoarded by the privileged while the many suffer. It is not enough to give charity. Charity is not justice. Justice demands that we redistribute—not just wealth, but the very power that governs us.”
He steps away from the podium, walking slowly toward a large map of the world on the wall. His finger traces the continents, the countries, the boundaries.
POPE PIUS XIII “We must create a world where power is not a tool for oppression, but a means of lifting others. Where the powerful do not rule over the weak, but share in the burden of governance. A world where the decisions made in the halls of power are not about maintaining the status quo, but about creating a society that is just, equitable, and loving.”
He turns back to the group, his eyes fierce, his voice steady.
POPE PIUS XIII “This is the vision of democratic Christian socialism. It is not a utopia. It is a call to action. A call to share, to serve, to give. To ensure that all, no matter their station in life, have access to the blessings of this earth. And that power, the most dangerous and corrupting force, is shared equally among all.”
He pauses, letting the silence fill the room.
POPE PIUS XIII “Do not let the world tell you that power is meant to be hoarded. Do not let the systems of wealth and privilege convince you that some are born to rule while others are born to serve. In the eyes of God, we are all His children, and we are all meant to share in the blessings He has given us.”
The advisors sit in stunned silence, some visibly moved, others deep in thought. Pope Pius XIII’s gaze softens, his voice quieter but no less resolute.
POPE PIUS XIII “It is time for us to lead by example. To show the world that true power lies in service, in sharing, in love.”
He turns and walks toward the door, his robes flowing behind him. The room remains still, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
I think cyber security, cyber warfare will be one of the biggest challenges facing the next president, because clearly we’re facing at this point two different kinds of adversaries. There are the independent hacking groups that do it mostly for commercial reasons to try to steal information that they can use to make money.
