Croatians hope for
a papal visit
ZAGREB, June 18 - Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic thanked Pope Benedict XVI for his work for Croatia and invited him to visit it soon yesterday (Wed).
Benedict XVI expressed his wish to do so at a meeting in the Vatican.
The Pope said: "Croatia has always been in my heart, and I hope to visit your country in the near future."
Jandrokovic gave the Pope a special lace work made by nuns at Benedict Monastery on Hvar Island, Katolicki radio has reported.
The Pope Benedict received Jandrokovic, his wife, and a Croatian delegation after a public audience in St. Peter's Square.
Jandrokovic also met with Italian Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, who had visited Croatia in September last year.
Bertone was interested in the Croatian-Slovene maritime-boundary dispute and the opening of additional chapters in Croatia’s negotiations to join the European Union. Jandrokovic thanked Bertone and the Vatican for their support in this respect.
Croatia, with a population of about 4/5 million, is 88% Roman Catholic. It was once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and after World War II, became part of Yugoslavia. It became independent in 1991.