ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - Pope John Paul II is coming to Croatia for the third time on Thursday, his 100th apostolic journey in 25 years of pontificate.
ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - Pope John Paul II is coming to Croatia for
the third time on Thursday, his 100th apostolic journey in 25 years
of pontificate. #L#
In five days the Holy Father will tour Rijeka, Dubrovnik, Osijek,
Djakovo, and Zadar.
The pope should depart Rome at 3.30 pm on Thursday, landing at the
island of Krk at 4.45 pm, where he will be welcomed by President
Stjepan Mesic, Prime Minister Ivica Racan, parliament president
Zlatko Tomcic, members of the Croatian Bishops' Conference
Permanent Council, and bishops of the Rijeka metropolis.
While in Croatia, the pope will stay at the Rijeka junior seminary,
where he will return to after visiting every town on the agenda.
Upon arriving at the Rijeka junior seminary tomorrow, the Holy
Father will receive President Mesic for a half-hour talk.
At mass in Dubrovnik on June 6, the pope will beatify Mary of Jesus
Crucified Petkovic. The next day, at Osijek's sports airfield
Cepin, the pope will celebrate mass and pay a private visit to the
Djakovo cathedral.
The pope will celebrate mass in Rijeka on the 8th. That afternoon he
will hold separate meetings with Croatian bishops and PM Racan, and
visit the Our Lady of Trsat shrine.
John Paul II will end his trip to Croatia in Zadar, where he will
celebrate the Liturgy of the Word. A farewell will be staged at the
Zadar airport.
Mesic and Racan officially invited the pope to visit Croatia at the
Vatican on 13 June 2001, while Croatia's bishops invited him to
visit the Trsat shrine back in 1991, when the shrine celebrated its
700th anniversary.
(hina) ha sb