CROATIA: Memories of the bitter Balkan warfare of the last decade echoed around the port of Dubrovnik yesterday when Pope John Paul II, on the second day of a five-day pastoral visit to Croatia, presided over the beatification of a Croatian nun, Marija Petkovic.
Speaking to a crowd of more than 60,000 gathered for the open-air beatification ceremony in Dubrovnik harbour, the Pope recalled the recent suffering endured by Croatian women, saying: "The figure of the Blessed Marija (Petkovic) reminds me of all the women of Croatia, those who are wives and mothers, those whose lives were forever changed by the grief of losing a family member in the cruel war of the 1990s.
"The frenetic pace of modern life can lead to an obscuring or even a loss of what is truly human. Perhaps more than in any other period of history, our time is in need of that 'genius' which belongs to women and which can ensure sensitivity for human beings in every circumstance."
In a country which still refers to its bitter struggle to gain independence from former Yugoslavia as "the Homeland War", the Pope's words struck deep chords.
Greeting the Pope yesterday, the Bishop of Dubrovnik, Dr Zelimir Pulijc, spoke of the "martyred, blood-soaked soil of this diocese".
He added: "There will be rejoicing today among the numerous witnesses in heaven and we shall also be joined by the many defenders who fell during the Homeland War, who were not afraid of the power or weapons of those who intended to enslave not only this city, a symbol of freedom, but also the entire land of Croatia."
On this, his third visit to Croatia in the past decade, the Pope emphasised the need for reconciliation, issuing a strong endorsement of Croatia's ambitions towards full membership of the European Union.
Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Croatian government spokesman, Mladen Prka, underlined the significance of the visit, saying: "When the Pope first came in 1994, the war was still on, guns were pointing at Zagreb and his visit was a way of saying, 'Croatia, I'm with you.' In 1998, he beatified Cardinal Stepinac, who was a much-loved figure for Croats. This time, well, we Croats think the Pope must love us very much, to come three times in nine years."
Yesterday's ceremony represented beatification No 1,006 for the Pope. Today he travels to the eastern Croatian cities of Osijek and Djakovo, where he will meet leaders of the Croat Orthodox Church, a minority church in a country that is 87 per cent Catholic. Tomorrow, the Pope will preside over an open-air Mass in the harbour of Rijeka. Later he will meet Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan.
Throughout the last two days, the Pope has often looked tired. His mobility is greatly limited, with nearly all his movements, including the celebration of Mass, being accomplished thanks only to a combination of hydraulic chairs and mini-popemobiles. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, appeared to indicate something of the Holy See's concern about the 83-year-old Pope's frail health when telling reporters in an informal briefing on Thursday evening that a forthcoming trip to Mongolia, proposed for August, may not take place.