POPE JOHN PAUL II ARRIVES IN CROATIA (1)

( Editorial: --> 5103 ) ZAGREB, Oct 2 (Hina) - Pope John Paul II arrived in Zagreb this afternoon for his three-day state and pastoral visit to Croatia, during which he will beatify Croatia's late Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac in the Marian shrine of Marija Bistrica. With the motto "You will be my witnesses", the Pope arrived to Croatia by a special Alitalia airplane which landed at Zagreb's Pleso airport at 5:36pm. Immediately after landing, Papal Nuncio Giulio Einaudi and State Protocol head Zelimir Kramaric entered the airplane and were the first ones to greet the Pope. As he appeared at the airplane door, the citizens gathered at the airport greeted the Catholic Church leader, applauding and waving small Vatican and Croatian flags. John Paul II began his visit to Croatia, which is his 84th foreign visit during his 20-year pontificate, by blessing the Croatian soil in a bowl brought to him by two boys, members of the Croatian Peasants' Choir "Prigorac" from Gracani, who were wearing traditional costumes. The Pope was met by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and the highest ranking Croatian officials and the Croatian Church delegation lead by Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic. After the Pope and President Tudjman shook hands, the papal and Croatian national anthems were played. Pope John Paul II and President Tudjman did an inspection of the troops from the First Croatian Guards Brigade's ceremonial unit. The inspection invitation was relayed by commander Brigadier Jozo Milicevic. In his visit to Croatia, the Pope was joined by, among others, the Holy See's State Secretary, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and the Head of the Sanctification Congregation, Monsignor Jose Saraiva Martins. Besides President Tudjman, also present at the welcoming ceremony were Croatian National Parliament President Vlatko Pavletic, Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, State Committee for Welcoming the Holy Father president Jure Radic, Zagreb Mayor Marina Matulovic-Dropulic and Croatia's Ambassador to the Holy See Marijan Sunjic. Besides Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic, the Pope was greeted by Cardinal Franjo Kuharic and the Croatian archbishops and bishops Ante Juric, Antun Tamarut, Zelimir Pulic and Antun Skvorcevic and the General Vicar Vladimir Stankovic. (Hina) is/mbr 021914 MET oct 98