Vatican, (IKA) – In today’s issue of L’Osservatore Romano, the semiofficial Vatican daily newspaper, there is a lavish and tastefully prepared 32-page special section on the apostolic visit by the Holy Father John Paul II to Croatia, with one hundred and twenty photographs, a large poster with a color picture of the Holy Father and a list of all the trips he has taken outside of Italy, ending with Croatia. The title of this section is “John Paul II, Pilgrim in Croatia.” The title page lists the cities that the Pope will visit: Rijeka, Dubrovnik, Djakovo and Zadar. It also states that the Pope’s trip to Croatia is his hundredth apostolic voyage. This special section contains the program of the Pope’s visit to Croatia, articles on his two previous visits to Zagreb, Marija Bistrica and Split, accompanied by photographs. There is also a separate article about the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac and an interview with Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb on the family as the path of the Church and nation. Archbishop Ivan Devcic is the author of articles about Rijeka, the city hosting the Holy Father, on the archdiocese and four dioceses within the Rijeka Metropolis, the Shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, and the Rijeka Cathedral of St. Vitus. Bishop Mile Bogovic of Gospic-Senj writes about the Glagolitic script and liturgy in Croatia, cultivated for centuries in this region, especially on the island of Krk. The special section also includes articles by Bishop Zelimir Puljic of Dubrovnik, the Dominican father Prof. Stjepan Krasic and a L’Osservatore Romano journalist, Giampaolo Mattei. The bishop of Dubrovnik also writes about the beatification of Mother Mary of Jesus Crucified (Marija Propetog Isusa) Petkovic, her biography in faith from Blato to Rome and South America, and her establishment of the first religious order to be founded in Croatia, the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy. An article about her birthplace of Blato on the island of Korcula was prepared by the mayor of Blato, Branko Bacic, and Damir Zuvela, who write about the problem of emigration that afflicted the birthplace of the Venerable Mary of Jesus Crucified during the 1920s and 1930s, so that today its former inhabitants are scattered from South America to North America and Australia. Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar-Duvno wrote a detailed article on the spiritual aspects of the Venerable Marija Petkovic. Bishop Marin Srakic of Osijek wrote about Osijek, Slavonia, Bishop Strossmayer and the Djakovo and Srijem Diocese. Archbishop Ivan Prendja of Zadar wrote an article on his archdiocese. Eduard Pericic wrote about the history of Zadar. The special section concludes with an illustrated article on the destruction that occurred during the recent war, from Almas to Dalj, Zadar and Dubrovnik. There is also an article about the 550-year presence of the Croatian community in Rome, prepared by Fr. Tomislav Mrkonjic. The Pope’s journey was also announced on the regular pages of the Vatican daily newspaper, together with the schedule of the Pope’s travels in Croatia, an article on the new beata, Marija Petkovic, by Archbishop Edward Nowak, the secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, and a detailed article entitled “The Hundredth Journey, Only One Pilgrimage.”