Zagreb, (IKA) – On June 5, Pope Benedict XVI will conduct Mass at the Zagreb Hippodrome, beginning at 10 a.m. The central event of the Pope’s nineteenth journey outside of Italy, his apostolic visit to Croatia, and the first National Encounter of Croatian Catholic Families will be celebrated on the Seventh Sunday of Easter with the motto “Together in Christ.”
The entire celebration of the Eucharist is inspired by the spirit of community. In this same spirit, at the beginning of the Mass after the formal procession, Cardinal Josip Bozanić will address the Holy Father with words of welcome. Then the Holy Father will begin the celebration of the Mass in the Latin and Croatian languages.

The liturgical space has been designed as a place that emphasizes the source of community. Two hands, which are present on the logo of the encounter, shelter and protect the altar area. The entire celebration space and all the assembled believers will be focused upon this place of encounter and community. On the stairs leading to the altar is the ambon, the place of the Word of God. From this ambom, those assembled will listen to a reading from the Acts of the Apostles that speaks about the community of the first Christians “who devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.” The second reading, from the First Letter of St. Peter the Apostle, recalls the sharing by all the faithful in Christ’s suffering, accepting insults for the name of Christ. The Gospel According to John, Christ’s High Priestly Prayer, will also be read in the Old Slavic language by a Greek Catholic priest of the Eparchy of Križevci.

Following the reading of the Gospel, the Pope will deliver a homily in the Croatian and Italian languages. A Croatian translation of the parts in the Italian language will be read by a priest. After the Pope’s homily and brief reflections on the Word of God, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the Archbishop of Zagreb, will invite the faithful to confess the faith of the Church.
Eucharistic gifts will be offered by families from various dioceses of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At the end of the Mass, Bishop Valter Župan of Krk, as the President of the Council of the Croatian Conference of Bishops for the Family, will deliver some brief remarks and then speak about the prayer “Queen of Heaven, Rejoice” (Kraljice neba)
The Holy Father will then address those assembled and greet the pilgrims from the neighboring countries in their languages. This will be followed by the prayer “Queen of Heaven, Rejoice” and the Apostolic Blessing.
It is important to note that the statute of Our Lady of Bistrica, the Mediatrix and Advocate of the Croatian people, will be brought to Zagreb for this occasion and be present on the altar during the Mass.