Upon exiting the plane, at the Zagreb airport, Pope Benedict XVI was welcomed on a red carpet by Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, the Archbishop of Zagreb Cardinal Josip Bozanic and the president of the Croatian Bishops Conference, Marin Srakic. Also present was a group of 450 faithful from Velika Gorica.

This is the fourth pontifical visit to Croatia. Joseph Ratzinger's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, was in Croatia three times: on 10-11 September 1994, on 2-4 October 1998 and on 5-9 June 2003.

This is Pope Benedict's 19th apostolic journey outside Italy.