Although at least two pilgrims died under a punishing sun in recent days, a spirited crowd of more than 100,000 people chanted the Pope’s name in rhythmic, sports-arena style in the Croatian port city of Zadar, seen as a hotbed of nationalism.
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Farmotel Stefania is on the way to Slovenian and Croatian Adriatic sea coast.
The Pope’s visit was aimed to overcome the aftermath of Croatia’s war of independence in which an estimated 20,000 men died.
“I remember your sufferings caused by the war, which are still visible on your faces and are affecting your lives,” the Pope said, his voice struggling with apparent emotion.
Eye-witnesses said the pope’s motorcade took him past a giant poster of fugitive war crimes suspect Gen. Ante Gotovina emblazoned with the words, “A hero, not a war criminal.”
U.N. TRIBUNAL
Although Gotovina is sought by the United Nations war crimes tribunal for 1990s atrocities, many here hail him as a patriot, underscoring Croatia’s struggle to shed its nationalist past
On Monday, June 9, the Pope did not address the controversy, although he made clear in recent days it was time for reconciliation.
As part of that effort neighboring Serbia and Montenegro, the mainly Orthodox successor federation of Yugoslavia, has invited the Pope John Paul.
It was not clear if the pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and crippling knee and hip ailments, has accepted the invitation. He uses a special hydraulic chair so he can celebrate Mass while seated.
BOSNIA TRIP
Although a June 22 day trip to Bosnia Herzegovina is still on, top Vatican officials have suggested that a proposed visit to Mongolia in August could be dropped, The Associated Press reported.
This was the pontiff’s third and likely last visit to Croatia, a mainly Catholic nation of roughly 5 million people. The Pope has made clear he wants the country to join the European Union and be a “witness of the Catholic faith”.
He has also encouraged young people to marry and raise children, amid concern of growing materialism in Europe. The Vatican seems to hope that Catholic countries, like Croatia, will influence a discussion on the EU constitution as it does not make any reference to Christianity.
For that reason the pontiff also encouraged voters in mainly Catholic Poland to participate in a referendum on EU membership. Latest results show that about 8 out of 10 Poles participating in this weekend’s ballot voted for EU entry in May 2004.
