Solin, October 4, 1998 (IKA) — Today, October 4, Pope John Paul II on the third and final day of his second pastoral visit to Croatia, met with catechism instructors, church movements and young people at the Shrine of Our Lady of Otok in Solin. At this event, he was addressed by Archbishop Ante Jurić of Split-Makarska, who emphasized that he was greeting the Pope on “soil made holy from ancient Christian times because it was sanctified by the blood of so many Christians who were led by their bishop St. Domnius. The faith which the early Christians bore witness to and died for was quickly accepted by our ancestors soon after their migration into these parts, especially in Solin and on this Island of Our Lady,” said Archbishop Jurić, noting that “it was on this island that our good Queen Jelena, who is remembered for her holy life, built the first church in Croatia that was consecrated to the Mother of God.” Archbishop Jurić then acquainted the Holy Father with the celebration of the 1,000th jubilee of this shrine, held in 1976. The Patriarch of Venice, later to become Pope Paul VI, accepted Archbishop Frane Franić#!s invitation. Although Archbishop Karol Wotyla of Krakow, now Pope John Paul II, was also expected to attend, he was prevented from doing so by unforeseen obligations.
“Before you are mainly young people, religious and school teachers, and members of spiritual movements in the Church,” continued the archbishop, presenting the participants of today#!s celebration to the Holy Father, including theology students and seminarians from a number of seminaries and faculties of theology in Croatia, Franciscan and Jesuit novices, and novices from the various congregations of nuns. There are also members of various movements, such as the neo-Catechumens, folklorists, crusaders, FRAMA (Franciscan Youth), MI, Branimir Society, Peace – A Drop of Goodness etc. “Here are thousands upon thousands of students from high schools and universities who want to hear you,” said Archbishop Jurić.
“On behalf of all those present, and the entire nation, united in spirit with us, I exclaim to you, Holy Father: Welcome to this holy Christian and Croatian soil. Your arrival here, your prayer and your blessing will make this soil even holier, more dear and more precious to the heart of every believer. This, our dear ancient Shrine of Our Lady, which preserves memories of our sacred Christian and national traditions, and which has seen and remembered so many wonderful people in its history and has been engraved with their names, will remember and engrave the name of its greatest visitor, Pope John Paul II, in letters of gold. Holy Father, in the name of all those present I ask you to teach us, encourage us and bless us.”