POPE JOHN PAUL II ARRIVES IN ROME

( Editorial: --> 5775 ) ROME, Oct 4 (Hina) - At 9.17pm on Sunday, Pope John Paul II arrived at Rome's Ciampino airport aboard a Croatia Airlines plane. The Pope continued his journey to the Vatican on a helicopter. Leaving Croatian air space, the Pontiff sent a telegram to the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. Leaving the Republic of Croatia, at the end of my second pastoral visit, Mr President, I once again wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to you, all the state and local authorities, as well as to the whole of the country for the kind hospitality demonstrated everywhere, the telegram said. It is my wish for this apostolic journey to contribute to strengthening peace in those areas and to support joint efforts of the dear Croatian people in the difficult material and spiritual reconstruction of their homeland and in building a future marked by freedom, unity, solidarity, cooperation and continual progress. I invoke God's blessing upon you and the whole of the dear Croatian nation, the telegram said. (hina) rml /mbr 042215 MET oct 98