Leko also attended Mass, telling the press afterwards that life was made of symbols. "Symbols are important and this is a religious symbol of hope's light. I want this light to bring hope and optimism to Croatian society," he said, adding that since Croatia was a secular state, his main wish was a more just society, more optimism and more jobs.
The secretary general of the Croatian Scouts Alliance, Bojan Smode, recalled that the arrival of the Bethlehem Light to Croatia was a traditional scout initiative which began in 1992.