Zagreb, September 5, 2003 (IKA) — Archbishop Giulio Einaudi, who has served as the apostolic nuncio in Croatia since 1992 and will soon be leaving this post, discussed his service in Croatia in an interview to be published in the September 7 issue of the Catholic weekly newspaper Glas Koncila. Archbishop Einaudi noted that over the years, he has closely followed the rebirth of the Croatian nation, which had endured the trials of a crushing regime that was opposed to the dignity of the human individual and later a long war with much bloodshed that caused suffering and destruction throughout the territory of the Republic. Nevertheless, owing to many centuries of a culture rooted in Christian faith and a population that was strong and resilient in the defense of its convictions, the country is now on the path for rebuilding a democratic society and the path toward Europe, said Archbishop Einaudi, who was appointed as the apostolic nuncio in Croatia on February 29, 1992. Speaking about the four signed contracts between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia, he said that the Holy See has noted with satisfaction that these contracts are already in effect in various protocols between the Conference of Bishops and the Government Commission led by Deputy Premier Goran Granić regarding the registration of the legal entities of the Catholic Church, the operations of the Military Ordinariate, catechesis in the schools, the agreement with Croatian Radio-Television for the broadcast of religious programs, the financial contribution by the Government for the social work of the Church and the return of Church property confiscated during the communist regime.
Speaking about the three apostolic visits by the Holy Father to Croatia, Archbishop Einaudi said that they were genuine blessings from heaven for Croatia and events of exceptional importance to the entire country, which received the Holy Father with great fervor as a person sent by God, the pastor of the Universal Church, a witness, prophet, and teacher of the faith. Regarding the Pope’s third visit to Croatia, Archbishop Einaudi said that the Pope wanted to affirm Croatia’s presence in Europe and its path toward integration into the European Union, calling upon Croatia to bear witness to its traditional faith and millennial religious culture among the family of nations, with the goal of offering Europe a Christian soul.