SARAJEVO, April 4 (Hina) - The head of the Islamic community inBosnia-Herzegovina, effendi Mustafa Ceric, and the head of the Jewishcommunity, Jakob Finci, on Sunday expressed sadness at the news ofPope John Paul II's death, stressing
his role as a great advocate ofpeace and his friendship with Bosnia-Herzegovina and its peoples.
SARAJEVO, April 4 (Hina) - The head of the Islamic community in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, effendi Mustafa Ceric, and the head of the Jewish
community, Jakob Finci, on Sunday expressed sadness at the news of Pope John
Paul II's death, stressing his role as a great advocate of peace and his
friendship with Bosnia-Herzegovina and its peoples. The Muslim news
agency MINA quoted Ceric as saying that he had met the Pope on three occasions
- in Sarajevo, Assisi and Banja Luka - and that he remembered his words of
encouragement for Bosnia-Herzegovina to continue on the path of truth, peace,
justice and reconciliation.
"Pope John Paul II's departure from this world leaves a huge void. It
will be difficult to find such a moral figure," Ceric was quoted as saying.
The head of the Jewish community, Jakob Finci, said the Pope was a
proven friend of Bosnia-Herzegovina and that it would be difficult for the
country to find again such a close friend.