RIJEKA RIJEKA, June 8 (Hina) - In a Eucharist celebration on Whitsuntide Sunday, Pope John Paul II urged the gathered faithful to be a "people of hope" who believe in the Gospel at a time when the society is "tragically fragmented and
divided" and "so desperately unfulfilled" because of it.
RIJEKA, June 8 (Hina) - In a Eucharist celebration on Whitsuntide
Sunday, Pope John Paul II urged the gathered faithful to be a
"people of hope" who believe in the Gospel at a time when the society
is "tragically fragmented and divided" and "so desperately
unfulfilled" because of it. #L#
Along with the pope at the altar were also cardinals Angelo Sodano
and Vinko Puljic, the apostolic nuncio to Croatia, Giulio Einaudi,
Croatian bishops and priests.
In front of the altar were 5,000 flowers and the entire area where
the Eucharist was celebrated was embellished with Croatian and
Vatican flags and photographs of the pope.
More than 100,000 faithful who gathered at the Mass greeted the pope
with welcome messages on banners, cheers and applause.
A state delegation headed by Prime Minister Ivica Racan attended
the Eucharist at which liturgies were read in Croatian and
Italian.
Accompanied by the Croatian National Theatre orchestra, a choir of
400 singers from parishes in Rijeka and from Mrkoplje and Senj sang
hymns. Church choirs from Omisalj and Cres also took part.
Attending the Mass were also Catholic national minorities from
Rijeka archdiocese and surrounding dioceses.
After the Eucharist, the pope consecrated the cornerstones of the
Church of Croatian martyrs St. Nikola Tavelic, St. Marko
Krizevcanin and blessed Alojzije Stepinac, to be built in Udbina,
in Gospic-Senj diocese, as well as 16 other churches to be built in
Rijeka archdiocese and Gospic-Senj and Porec-Pula dioceses.
The faithful from Rijeka archdiocese and surrounding bishoprics
brought to the Holy Father gifts for blessing -- hosts, wine, water
and a golden cross with the image of the Miraculous Crucifix dating
back to 1296 from the main altar at the Church of St. Vid in Rijeka.
The faithful also presented the pope with money collected in a Lent
campaign in Rijeka for multiple children and impoverished
families. Rijeka archdiocese presented the Holy Father with a
chalice and ciborium for an impoverished parish to his choosing.
(hina) lml sb