Bosnians Greet Papal Visit Set for June

Pope Francis will visit the Bosnian capital on June 6 where he will hold a mass and meet political leaders, the apostolic nuncio to Bosnia, Luigi Pezzuto, confirmed in Sarajevo on Monday.

Pope Francis himself during his sermon on Sunday broke the news about his plans to visit Sarajevo.

“I ask you right now to pray that my visit to those dear people is an encouragement for the Catholic faithful, initiates the growth of goodness and contributes to the consolidation of brotherhood, peace, dialogue and friendship,” he told the faithful on St Peter's Square.

Nuncio Pezzuto and Bosnian Cardinal Vinko Puljic told the press conference on Monday that details of the papal visit are yet to be worked out with the Bosnian authorities.

However, Puljic indicated that the central mass may take place at Sarajevo’s Olympic stadium at Zetra, which has the capacity to hold 37,500 people. 

This would be the third papal visit to Bosnia. On his first visit to Sarajevo on April 12 and 13, 1997, the late John Paul II held a mass at Zetra stadium for more than 50,000 people. On June 22, 2003, he visited Banja Luka in northwest Bosnia.

Catholics are a relatively small minority in Bosnia. Around half the population are Muslim and Orthodox Christians are the second-largest faith group.

However, members of all of the country’s religious communities welcomed news of the visit.

Many expressed hope that Pope Francis, who has earned worldwide popularity for his humility and support for the rights of ordinary people, may help the country that has been steadily falling deeper into political, economic and social crisis for years.

“The Pope has a feeling for the poor. He is aware that people here suffered a lot. He said himself he wants to promote inter-ethnic dialogue," Cardinal Puljic told the press conference.

Bishop Franko Komarica of Banja Luka also welcomed the visit.

“The Pope has understood the need and importance of visiting us, to ‘push forward’ our country which has been unfortunately left for too long in this dead end,” he told the local media. 

"I think that this Pope is a good man and that every country should welcome him as the best friend,” Dzemal, 58, from Sarajevo, said.

“Yet this visit will mean little for our country, because the Pope has a lot to say but there is no one to listen to him," he added.