ZAGREB, June 3 (Hina) - The Catholic Church Primate, Pope John Paul II, will arrive in Croatia on June 5, for a third pastoral visit. The pope visited Croatia in 1994 when he brought hope and encouragement to the war-torn and
partially occupied Croatia, and in 1998 when he beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac and called for the preservation of a long and rich Croatian Christian tradition in Split and Solin.
ZAGREB, June 3 (Hina) - The Catholic Church Primate, Pope John Paul
II, will arrive in Croatia on June 5, for a third pastoral visit. The
pope visited Croatia in 1994 when he brought hope and encouragement
to the war-torn and partially occupied Croatia, and in 1998 when he
beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac and called for the
preservation of a long and rich Croatian Christian tradition in
Split and Solin. #L#
The pastoral visit to Croatia is the 100th apostolic visit of the
Holy Father outside Italy during the 25 years of his pontificate.
Pope John Paul II has the reputation of a great "pilgrim of peace"
and "a pilgrim of the Gospel", the preacher of forgiveness,
repentance, reconciliation and ecumenism.
Croatian Bishops have chosen a slogan " Family - the Way of the
Church and People" for the pope's third visit to Croatia in order to
stress the importance of the family as the carrier of the biological
life and the live of faith.
During his visit to Croatia, June 5-9, Pope John Paul II will visit
Rijeka, Dubrovnik, Osijek, Djakovo and Zadar. During his pastoral
visit, Pope will celebrate Mass three times in Croatian and will
give Liturgy of the Word in Zadar.
Croatian senior officials, led by head of state Stjepan Mesic,
representatives of the Permanent Council of the Croatian Bishop's
Conference, the Rijeka Archbishop and the Krk Archbishop, will
welcome the pope at the airport on the island of Krk.
(hina) it sb