Jasenovac, (IKA) – After a visit to the Memorial Area of the Jasenovac concentration camp, within the framework of a pilgrimage by priests of the Zagreb Archdiocese, the archbishop of Zagreb wrote the following in the book of impressions: “In prayer for the victims and for the gift of God’s Spirit that purifies the truth, heals through love and instills hope through justice and mercy, I have visited this memorial area, leading a pilgrimage of priests from the Archdiocese of Zagreb to Stara Gradiška, Jasenovac and Petrinja.” Human suffering and Christ’s victory over sin and death oblige us to live in the light of the Lord’s resurrection and grow in love that transforms, in order for a safe and peaceful life to flourish everywhere, wrote the cardinal further.
During the visit to the Jasenovac Memorial Area, the bishops and priests became acquainted with the concept of the museum exhibition, the manner in which the victims of the former concentration camp are listed, and the use of the database of the victims. The cardinal noted that listing the names of the victims gave them the dignity of victims. At the end of the visit, Archbishop Bozanić said a prayer of absolution for the victims of the camp, inviting those present to pray for peace, justice and love, and particularly for those who promote the truth about the former Jasenovac concentration camp.
In a press statement, Nataša Jovičić, the director of the Jasenovac Memorial Area, referred to the visit by the archbishop, bishops and priests of Zagreb as the crown of all the visits thus far made by representatives of the Catholic Church to this camp. As a memento, she gave the cardinal a book with a list of 72 thousand names of the victims of the camp, which is constantly being updated.