Zagreb, (IKA) – It is customary for the Holy Father on visits to bless cornerstones for churches that will be built in the foreseeable future. Thus, at the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration of the First National Encounter of Croatian Catholic Families on Sunday, June 5, at the Zagreb Hippodrome, the Pope blessed approximately fifty cornerstones that were placed in front of the altar. Among the stones blessed by the Pope are cornerstones for churches in the Diocese of Bjelovar- Križevci, the Diocese of Varaždin, the Diocese of Šibenik, the Military Ordinariate, the Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska, the Archdiocese of Rijeka, the Archdiocese of Zagreb etc.
The Pope also blessed a large votive commemorative candle of Croatian Catholic families that will symbolically link this day with the future National Days of Croatian Catholic Families, a replica of which was presented to Pope Benedict XVI in gratitude for his presiding at the First National Encounter of Croatian Catholic Families.
The candle is fashioned of rolled natural honeycomb. Together with the natural ornamentation of the honeycomb, it also has a votive Croatian cross and the logo of the First National Encounter of Croatian Catholic Families. The candle symbolically links the past, present and future of the Croatian nation and Croatian families, since the Croatian votive cross originated in the year 1979 as a symbol of the celebration of the Year of Branimir. This is a votive candle because it is used to renew the vow of Croatian Catholic families when, as part of the commemoration of the Year of Branimir, the motto “The Croatian Catholic Family Prays Daily and Celebrates Mass on Sunday” was adopted. The metal Croatian votive cross on the Croatian commemorative votive candle was cast in the foundry of the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, according to a model by the sculptor, Karlo Gross, and the finishing of the metal parts of both candles was performed in the Applied Arts Workshop in Zagreb.
An apostolic blessing and the hymn “White Lillies” (Ljiljane bijeli) concluded the Mass at the Hippodrome. The Mass was attended by the highest government officials, including the President of the Republic of Croatia, Ivo Josipović; the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Luka Bebić, and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.