REQUIEM HELD AT ZAGREB CATHEDRAL FOR LATE PRESIDENT TUDJMAN

ZAGREB, Dec 13 (Hina) - A requiem mass in memory of late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman was served by special Papal envoy Cardinal Franjo Kuharic at the Zagreb cathedral at 6 p.m. on Monday. In attendance were all Croatian bishops, Apostolic Nuncio in Croatia Giulio Einaudi, and several hundred priests. #L# Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic addressed the gathered at the beginning of the requiem. During the past several days, the soul of the Croatian people has spoken again, the soul of the patriot faithful has opened, Bozanic said, calling on prayer for the late President Tudjman and the homeland Croatia. In his sermon, Cardinal Kuharic recalled that Tudjman had made his last state visit to the Vatican to meet with the Holy Father. During the two visits by Pope John Paul II to Croatia, Tudjman had publicly expressed his faith which he accepted in childhood and which glittered in his conscious throughout his turbulent and complex life in the dramatic history of the 20th century, Kuharic said. "With his conscience, he was orientated towards investing his life into a dramatic struggle for the freedom of man and Croatian people and for the historical truth about this people. Writing a book about small peoples and great ideas, he clearly notes as a historian that small peoples were the victims of larger ones when the large peoples were not fair, and it is a fact that some great ideas of this bloody 20th century were inhumane because they were against God," the Cardinal said. He stressed that Tudjman had, through knowledge and experience, taken note of the injustice and with his conscience chosen the difficult path of a violence-free fight for freedom and historic truth about his people. "He discovered the true problems, he knowingly took the path which would lead him to persecution, even to dungeon. He faced not only misunderstanding by great people, but also opposition. The dignity of great people is indicated in this very way, being a protection for the weak and the small, guaranteeing freedom and the realisation of inviolable human and national rights of the oppressed," Kuharic said. He recalled that in the programme of freedom and independence the Croatian people had followed Tudjman in unison both in Croatia and abroad, which they had confirmed at elections in 1990 and the 1991 referendum, and continue to confirm by paying him their respects and expressing their gratitude after his death. "The free and sovereign State of Croatia was established under his leadership, but also through the will of the entire people and resistance against unjust violence. He is leaving us in legacy a sovereign and free, internationally recognised State of Croatia, which is a guarantee of freedom and ability of all citizens of Croatia to freely work in unison for the general well-being," Kuharic said. At the end of the requiem the choir and several thousands of faithful sang the Croatian national anthem "Our Beautiful Homeland" (Lijepa nasa). Besides the late President's family, attending the service were numerous state officials and members of the diplomatic corps. President Tudjman, who passed away late on Friday night, was buried at Zagreb's Mirogoj Cemetery earlier in the day. (hina) lml