Pope's visit to Sarajevo "important for whole region"

Pope's visit to Sarajevo "important for whole region"

In his statement for Tanjug, Hocevar indicated that the goal of pope's arrival to Sarajevo is to "promote peace and atonement" in the region.

"Holy Father Pope Francis has emphasized himself that the visit will be the promotion of peace, reconciliation and a stronger ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, said Hocevar prior to leaving for Sarajevo where he will welcome the pope.

He noted that "more than a thousand Serbian citizens will be present in the Bosnian capital to welcome the head of the Roman Catholic Church."

"We decided to attend this event because we wish to support all that - to have peace rule among us, atonement, a more powerful ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. And we want to be together in prayer," Hocevar stated.

Commenting on the visit earlier, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina said that it "bears importance primarily for the Catholic Church," while the pope meeting with Orthodox dignitaries in the course of his visit will be "an event that gives rise to hope and sends an encouraging message."

The bishop will head a delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church during the meeting with Pope Francis in Sarajevo. Grigorije said that the visit "represents an important event for any area."

The bishop added that that the visit will be "marked by another important sign as the meeting should take place in Sarajevo, a city which used to be a home to the largest number of Christians in Bosnia-Herzegovina, counting Christ's followers of both the Western and the Eastern churches."

"It is a sad fact that the number of Christians in the city on the Miljacka River is almost insignificant nowadays, which is why we see pope's visit as an encouragement and recognition for the persevering faith of believers in Sarajevo who look up to Our Lord Jesus Christ," Grigorije said.