Poreč (IKA) – “The news of the death of our Holy Father John Paul II, although anticipated, has profoundly affected all of us,” stated Bishop Ivan Milovan of Poreč-Pula in his message to the clergy and faithful of his diocese. “Nonetheless, as Christian believers, we accept the Pope’s death with hope in God, who is the God of the Living, and with gratitude to the Heavenly Father who gave us the life of the recently departed Pope, lived in tireless dedication to the values of the human person and life, the family and the young, encounter and dialogue, the rights of young persons and young nations. We shall remember the Pope’s three visits to our Croatian homeland as sources of great encouragement and comfort, providing us with genuine orientation. We experienced John Paul II as a great man of our times, as a prophet and visionary, but also as a dear friend and supporter,” emphasized Bishop Milovan.