WORKS FOR MARIJA BISTRICA CHURCH IN THE OPEN ALMOST COMPLETED

( Editorial: --> 3705 ) MARIJA BISTRICA, Sept 28 (Hina) - Works on a church in the open in Marija Bistrica, where on October 3 Pope John Paul II will beatify the late Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, have been almost completed. The centrepiece of the church in the sanctuary near Zagreb will be an altar from which the Pope will address the faithful. A charter bearing the inscription "With Christ Into the Third Millennium" was placed on Monday into the foundations of the altar by the head of the sanctuary, Lovro Cindori. In attendance were members of the Church and State Committees for the Pope's arrival. The field where the faithful will be situated extends more than 10,000 square metres, but will be expanded further and around the sanctuary given that some 400,000 attendance requests have been submitted so far. A poster with the image of Cardinal Stepinac will be placed beside the altar. Based on a painting by Josip Biffel, the poster will be unveiled the moment the Pope declares Stepinac beatified. The beatification will be the principal event of the Pope's second visit to Croatia. A billboard saying "You Will Be My Witnesses", the motto of the Pope's visit to Croatia, will be placed in the centre of the field. The Church and State Committees for the Pope's arrival today also discussed the final organisation issues, especially in relation with the arrival and reception of the faithful. State Committee chairman Jure Radic said all the faithful must reach the sanctuary by 8am on Saturday. According to Church Committee secretary Zvonimir Kurecic, the celebration in Marija Bistrica will start on Friday night and will continue into the night. (hina) ha jn/mbr 281643 MET sep 98