Tekst pod nazivom „Najveći plaćeni koncert na svijetu: Radosna proslava vjere, obitelji i hrvatskog identiteta“ dijeli se na engleskom govornom području s ciljem demantiranja narativa koji o koncertu Marka Perkovića Thompsona na zagrebačkom Hipodromu širi ljevica.

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By Vincent J. Batarelo

On the warm summer night of July 5, 2025, half a million people gathered at Zagreb’s Hippodrome. They came not for a political rally or a celebrity spectacle, but to sing, pray, and celebrate with Marko Perković Thompson, a man whose music has, for decades, given voice to Croatia’s patriotic soul. This was not only Thompson’s largest concert — it became the largest paid concert in world history, with over 504,000 tickets sold, according to organizers.

The scale of the event was staggering, with participants arriving from all corners of Croatia and the Croatian diaspora. The number of concert goers was even more stunning considering that Croatia has a population of only 4 million people! The logistics were handled flawlessly, with minimal medical interventions, no incidents of violence, and a family-friendly tone throughout.

And yet, many international outlets mischaracterized the event. For those who were there, and for the millions who understand its context, the truth was profoundly different. This was a peaceful, deeply moving, and overtly Christian celebration — a public expression of faith, family, and love of homeland.

More Than a Concert

Thompson’s music is often misunderstood abroad. Far from being about aggression or division, his songs are steeped in Catholic faith, national history, and personal sacrifice. They honor Croatia’s war veterans, remember its martyrs, and lift up eternal themes like love, home, and the hope of heaven.

One of his newest songs, “King Tomislav,” marks this year’s 1100th anniversary of Croatia’s first crowned king — a reminder of the nation’s long and proud Christian heritage. Despite false headlines, the concert did not begin with “Bojna Čavoglave”. That song, written during the Croatia’s War of Independence in 1991, appeared later in the set — and its historically contextual opening phrase, “za dom spremni,” has been upheld by Croatian courts. Any attempt to tie this concert to WWII-era ideology is false and slanderous. It is interesting to note that this Croatian song of resistance and the galvanizing of a national spirit was translated and reinterpreted by Ukrainians in 2022 in the defense of their country. 

Heaven Above Hippodrome

What most media failed to report was just how Catholic this event truly was. The stunning drone light show over the Hippodrome didn’t glorify a man or materialism. It portrayed the Cross of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the rosary, floating above a sea of voices. A Croatian bishop, Mons. Ante Ivas, came on stage before the song “Maranatha” to recite a solemn prayer, and later, one of Thompson’s bandmates Petar Buljan, with Thompson’s full support, led the crowd in a powerful declaration from the Book of Joshua repeated not once, but twice as a pledge of the Croatian people to God: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Many Catholic faithful fasted and prayed in the days leading up to the concert. Despite its size, the event was remarkably calm and family-like.

A Nation Consecrated, a People Renewed

Perhaps most remarkable of all is what happened just days earlier. On Friday, 27 June, the Croatian bishops, in communion with the faithful, solemnly consecrated the Croatian people and homeland to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The very next day, Croatian youth from across the country consecrated themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

These acts marked a new moment of Catholic resurgence in Croatia. That a record-breaking concert with strong religious overtones followed just days later seemed — to many — not coincidental, but providential.

Generation Z Leads the Way

One overlooked detail of the concert was the age of the crowd. The average attendee was just 28 years old. Far from being a nostalgic event, it showed that large presence of Millennials and Generation Z in Croatia is increasingly conservative, family-oriented, and spiritually awake — a trend confirmed by national studies, which state that this generation, to the chagrin of leftists and wokeists, is “increasingly conservative and family-oriented.” This bodes well for Croatia’s future.

A Message the World Needs to Hear

Western media outlets rushed to recycle old narratives, but they got it wrong. Added to this were some extreme, small, but vocal left-wing political voices — both domestic and international — who tried to paint the event as politically dangerous. But their criticism often stems from an ideological discomfort with religion, patriotism, and the traditional family, not with anything that actually happened at the concert.

There was no hate speech, no glorification of fascism, no violence. What there was: song, unity, prayer and a sense that Croatia is waking up to its mission again — as a nation under God, anchored in faith and history, with a role to play in Europe and wider of unapologetically promoting and living Christian values.

Let This Be Remembered

Let July 5, 2025, be remembered not for misrepresentation, but for what it truly was: a moment when hundreds of thousands stood together — not against anyone, but for something. For God. For family. For the homeland.

This was the world’s largest paid concert, yes. But more than that, it was Croatia’s heart on full display — and a strengthening in its national renewal and maybe, just maybe, a turning point towards a Catholic spiritual and traditional renewal for Europe in general, or more specifically eastern and central Europe.