The Croatian Bishops' Conference (HGK) and the State Committee in charge of preparing and following Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Croatia have presented the programme of the June 4-5, 2011 visit, whose motto will be "Together in Christ," the HBK said in a press release on Monday.
After being welcomed at Zagreb's airport, the Pope will meet Croatian President Ivo Josipovic at the president's office and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor at the nuncio's residence.
At the Croatian National Theatre, Benedict XVI will meet representatives of culture, the academic community and civil society, entrepreneurs, politicians, the diplomatic corps, and heads of religious communities.
At the end of his first day in Zagreb, the pontiff will pray with young people at Zagreb's central Ban Jelacic Square.
The central part of the Pope's visit will be a Eucharist on the occasion of the national meeting of Croatian Catholic families at Zagreb's hippodrome on June 5.
After mass, at noon, the Pope will give a message to the faithful around the world.
In the afternoon, Benedict XVI will pray with bishops, priests, monks and nuns at the Zagreb Cathedral, after which he will say a prayer at the grave of the beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac.
Croatia is looking forward with joy to the Pope's visit, said the press release signed by the HBK president, Archbishop Marin Srakic, and the chair of the State Committee in charge of preparing and following the visit, Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic.
