"Since some arrangements are not quite clear yet and this society and the churches need to consolidate more during transition, the Pope understands that preparations for his visit have slowed down," Archbishop Hocevar was quoted by the Beta agency as saying on Monday.
According to the dignitary, the Pope, as "a responsible religious leader" would like to visit Serbia because it was his obligation and duty to care about the faithful "particularly there where it is the most necessary".
"It is also clear that all believers here are waiting for this visit. The Pope also wants to promote peace and understanding," Hocevar said.
He declined to say anything more about his talks with representatives of the Serb Orthodox Church on the matter.
Dignitaries from the Serb Orthodox Church have so far refused the idea of the Pontiff visiting Serbia. They were also against a possibility that the president of the state union of Serbia-Montenegro, Svetozar Marovic, might invite the Vatican's leader to pay a state visit to Belgrade.