Marija Bistrica, October 3, 1998 (IKA) — Following the sermon delivered by the Holy Father today, October 3, at the Croatian national Marian Shrine of Marija Bistrica, at the first Mass celebrated in honor of the newly beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, there was the presentation of the gifts. Besides the bread and water, the Holy Father was given two symbolic gifts from all the Croatian dioceses: a one-of-a-kind evangelistary with a hand embossed silver cover depicting scenes from an 11th century Zagreb plenarium and a charitable contribution made in the Pope#!s name, symbolizing the founding of the Zagreb branch of Caritas in 1931 at Stepinac#!s initiative. The significance of both gifts is contained in the proclamation of the Gospel and Stepinac#!s testimony that flows into the daily Christian life of every believer. The administrator and parish priest of the Shrine of Marija Bistrica, Msgr. Lovro Cindori, gave the Pope a chalice and a silver replica of the statue of Our Lady of Bistrica. The Pope gave rosaries as mementos to all who presented the gifts. After Communion, the Holy Father greeted all the assembled pilgrims from Croatia and other countries. In addition to the Croatian language, in which the Holy Father conducted the entire Mass, he greeted pilgrims in the Slovenian, Italian, Hungarian, German and Polish languages.
Before blessing the holy objects brought by pilgrims — medallions, prayer books, crosses, pictures, rosaries and the cornerstones for future pastoral centers in honor of the Blessed Cardinal Stepinac, the Holy Father paid homage to the statue Our Lady of Bistrica.
At the end of the celebration of the Mass, the Pope greeted representatives of other religious communities in the Republic of Croatia: Evangelical Bishop Vladimir Deutsch; the president of the Jewish community, Dr. Ognjen Kraus; and the president of the Islamic community in Slovenia and Croatia, Ševko Omerbašić, giving each a rosary as a memento. Prior to descending from the altar, the Holy Father was congratulated by the President of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Franjo Tuđman.
At the Mass, a 325 kg bell, 830 mm in circumference, was sounded. The outside of the bell is engraved with the pontifical coat of arms, a text in commemoration of the solemnities in Marija Bistrica, Cardinal Stepinac#!s coat of arms, and a dedication. After the Pope#!s departure, the bell will be installed in the newly rebuilt belfry of the Church of St. Lawrence (sv. Lovro) in Petrinja, that had been destroyed during the war. The bell was cast by a foundry owned by Stjepan Šafran of Zagreb.