Croatian President Ivo Josipovic received in his office on Saturday Pope Benedict XVI, who is on a pastoral visit to Croatia on the occasion of the National Day of the Croatian Catholic Families.
The talks, held behind closed doors, lasted 35 minutes.
Josipovic and Benedict XVI exchanged gifts. The pope gave Josipovic a copy of the Music Code from the Vatican Library and Josipovic presented the pontiff with a replica of the organ pipes built in 1649 in the northern Croatian town of Lepoglava. The organ pipes still exist in a church in Lepoglava.
Josipovic introduced his wife Tatjana, daughter Lana and his staff to the Holy Father.
The pope arrived in the President's Office at 1215 hours, after he was welcomed by Josipovic at Pleso airport where he landed at 1100 hours.
Also present at Pleso airport were Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic, the president of the Croatian Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Marin Srakic.
Many citizens gathered in the streets to greet the Holy Father.
After the talks with Josipovic, at 1300 hours Benedict XVI headed towards the Apostolic Nunciature where he will receive Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.
