ZAGREB, March 11 (Hina) - The body of former Zagreb Archbishop, Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, who died in Zagreb on Monday, is in St. Stephen's Chapel in the archbishop's palace, from where it will be transferred to Zagreb's Cathedral on
March 13 at 5PM. Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic and Apostolic Nuncio Giulio Einaudi were the first to say a prayer next to the open coffin. St. Stephen's Chapel is constantly receiving the faithful, who are praying for the deceased cardinal. The Pope's flag, a black flag and the Croatian flag are flying at the cathedral, and the book of condolences is open at the archbishop's palace hall. A mass and funeral rituals for Cardinal Kuharic will take place in Zagreb's Cathedral on Thursday, March 14, at 11AM. Archbishop Bozanic has been receiving messages of condolences from high state officials, politicians and political parties, institutions, military ordinariate and other religious communi
ZAGREB, March 11 (Hina) - The body of former Zagreb Archbishop,
Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, who died in Zagreb on Monday, is in St.
Stephen's Chapel in the archbishop's palace, from where it will be
transferred to Zagreb's Cathedral on March 13 at 5PM.
Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic and Apostolic Nuncio Giulio
Einaudi were the first to say a prayer next to the open coffin. St.
Stephen's Chapel is constantly receiving the faithful, who are
praying for the deceased cardinal.
The Pope's flag, a black flag and the Croatian flag are flying at the
cathedral, and the book of condolences is open at the archbishop's
palace hall.
A mass and funeral rituals for Cardinal Kuharic will take place in
Zagreb's Cathedral on Thursday, March 14, at 11AM.
Archbishop Bozanic has been receiving messages of condolences from
high state officials, politicians and political parties,
institutions, military ordinariate and other religious
communities.
Cardinal Kuharic will in the future represent a moral standard-
bearer for Croatian society, said Zlatko Tomcic, parliament
speaker, on Monday.
"Following cardinals Stepinac and Seper, Cardinal Kuharic marked
the time of anxiety for the Catholic Church in Croatia, the time of
persecution, but also the time of love towards a man, his nation and
the homeland," said Tomcic. He added that he wants to believe the
time of persecution of the Catholic Church in Croatia is over.
Sending a message of sympathy to Croatian Catholics, Premier Ivica
Racan said Cardinal Kuharic was a person of high moral principles.
"He will be remembered for his role during the Homeland War in
particular, when he in most difficult times advocated peace,
pointing to freedom, peace and justice as ideals which every man
should aspire to," said Racan. The premier said he deeply believed
the Church will follow the cardinal's line of peace and tolerance.
The head of the Islamic community in Croatia, Sevko Omerbasic, said
Kuharic left a trace in the Islamic community as a friend and dear
man who always found ways to promote dialogue and ecumenism among
religions.
The Croatian Democratic Union, in a message of sympathy to
Archbishop Bozanic, pointed to Kuharic's role during communism in
resisting the ideological imposition of atheism.
The president of the Social Liberals, Drazen Budisa, said Cardinal
Kuharic played a crucial role in the Croatian Church and the history
of the Croatian people.
"The cardinal was a humanist who tirelessly defended universal
Christian principles and is one of the greatest ever born among
Croatians," said Budisa.
The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts said in a message of
sympathy that it had been left without its only honorary member.
Cardinal Kuharic was elected to the academy on May 12, 1994.
Sarajevo Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic told Croatian Catholic
Radio that Cardinal Kuharic "was a point of light in difficult
communist times."
(hina) np sb