Vatican, October 29, 1999 (IKA) — On Thursday, October 28, before an exceptionally large number of distinguished guests from the Vatican, Italy and Croatia, the formal opening ceremonies of the exhibition “Croats — Christianity, Culture and Art” were held in the Vatican. The exhibition, located in the Hall of Pope Sixtus V of the Vatican Museum, was opened by the secretary of state of the Holy See, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and the president of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Franjo Tuđman. During the opening ceremonies, the distinguished guests were also greeted by the Vatican librarian, Archbishop Jorge Maria Mejia, who pointed out that this exhibition presents the physiognomy of the Croatian nation, which is Christian. Cardinal Sodano noted that “these exhibited documents and artworks remind us of the first link between the Croats and the gospel of Christ, and present to us their Christian experience up to the present.” Cardinal Sodano quoted the words of the Holy Father during a meeting with pilgrims on September 14, 1994, when he emphasized that through history the Croats have established “a particularly strong bond with the Holy See.” Cardinal Sodano then noted that “we are able to follow this in various papal documents that contributed to the formation of the medieval Croatian state.” Cardinal Sodano also mentioned the exhibited letters from Pope John VIII to the Croatian princes, particularly the letter to Prince Branimir dated June 7, 879, and the letter dated 925 that testified to the relations between Pope John X and the Croatian king Tomislav. “All subsequent history was characterized by the particular attentiveness of the Holy See toward the Croatian nation. There is a very long list of papal documents and acts that had a powerful impact on the religious, cultural and political life of Croatia. Among the exhibited documents from recent times, one example is the document on the proclamation of the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, dated October 3, 1998,” said Cardinal Sodano.
Introducing this monumental exhibition, President Tuđman expressed gratification that it was being held in the Vatican Museum at the beginning of the celebration of the Great Jubilee, “when at the close of the century we can more precisely establish the range of what has been accomplished … For us Croats, this is the culmination of a long past full of effort, sacrifices and devotion, crowned on January 13, 1992 when the Vatican was among the first to recognize the independent Croatian state … Not only is such a magnificent exhibition by which Croatia presents itself to the world being held in its natural ambient, the Vatican, but it is also the crowning event of the excellent relations and understanding that link Croatia and the Catholic Church. Therefore, we are immeasurably grateful to the Holy Father who has once again provided an opportunity for us, a small nation of Europe, to present to the world our heritage and faith, that has attended all Croatian battles to preserve its Church, statehood and independence,” said Dr. Tuđman. Emphasizing in this context still another great role of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, who “visited the Republic of Croatia twice in four years,” particularly his unforgettable visit to Marija Bistrica in October 1998 when he beatified “a martyr of the Church, faith and his people,” Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, President Tuđman noted that the Croatian nation was the first of the Slavic nations to accept Christianity and “gave Europe a part of its identity and contributed to the defense of Christianity and the development of today’s Western civilization.”
On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition “Croats — Christianity, Culture and Art,” Archbishop Josip Bozanić of Zagreb issued a statement for IKA: “Certainly, this is a great event for the Catholic Church in Croatia and for the entire Croatian nation. This exhibition is being presented here at a significant time, on the threshold of the third millennium. This exhibition is in the sign of the Cross. When a person enters and passes through the exhibition, he sees the Cross, and when he leaves the Cross accompanies him. However, this is an exhibition that in a certain sense presents us to Europe, particularly to the numerous visitors who will come here and see the Vatican Museum in the coming months and weeks. This is an exhibition that has found its proper place here because it testifies to the relationship between the Croatian nation and the Holy See. I am impressed by the manner in which the exhibition has been set up and I wish to recognize those who contributed to it. Ultimately, this exhibition shows that culture is the best form of bond.”
Commenting upon the exhibition, Cardinal Franjo Kuharić, the retired archbishop of Zagreb, pointed out that not only are those who created the artworks for this exhibition worthy of recognition but also those who organized it, set it up, including the Croatian Conference of Bishops which was a co-organizer. “We had to show the world that we are not a new nation and that we have Christian roots that are over a thousand years old,” pointed out Cardinal Kuharić, adding that the Croatian nation has with great sacrifice “built a high level of culture and has nothing to be ashamed of.”