30 years since the biggest meeting in Croatian history

30 years ago, on September 11, 1994, Croatians gathered for one of the most important events in their history.

Spiritual authority

Saint John Paul II made an apostolic visit to Croatia, a country that had declared independence three years earlier and then fallen victim to Serbian imperialism. In September 1994, there was still a war in Croatia, and it was at that time that the Pope arrived in Zagreb. Saint John Paul II was a spiritual authority who, from the beginning of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, contributed to peace among all nations, and not just any peace, but a peace based on justice and truth.

What was important was that St. John Paul II understood and loved the South Slavic peoples well. He understood their desire for freedom, he also understood their history, the trauma of living under the political and spiritual terror of communism, just as in their homeland. The Pope also understood well the desire for freedom of the Croats, which he supported and encouraged. His arrival in Zagreb was an encouragement to the entire young nation.

Open-air Holy Mass is probably the largest gathering in the history of the Croatian nation. In a sermon he delivered in Croatian, becoming the first pope in history to address the Croats in their native language, he said the following words to the nation, which was then the victim of Serbian aggression:

The right way

The Lord’s Prayer shows us the right path to follow after each of our failures: it is the path of forgiveness. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Dear friends, we need to think carefully about the power of the word “as”, the promise and the threat it contains. Danger: Only a heart free from all hatred can receive God’s forgiveness. Promise: There is no condemnation for those who, although guilty, repent and are merciful to their brothers. The time has come for the Church in Zagreb, like the entire Church in Croatia, to become promoters of mutual forgiveness and reconciliation. “Seek forgiveness and forgive”: this could be a concise exercise for all those who wish to establish firm conditions for achieving true and lasting peace.

This message of Christian radicalism, the appeal to Croatians to be the first to lend a hand to reconciliation, was what marked this first visit by the Pope.

This message of Christian radicalism, the appeal to Croatians to be the first to lend a hand to reconciliation, was what marked this first visit by the Pope.

According to many, this message also played a role in the decision of the Croatian authorities in 1995 to begin the process of peaceful reintegration of the eastern part of the country, which was then under the control of Serbian separatists. The judgment included amnesty for all Croatian citizens of Serbian nationality who participated in the uprising against Croatia but did not commit crimes. Of course, there were also political factors that influenced this decision. But the fact is that the then President of Croatia, Franjo Tudjman, when explaining his decision, indirectly referred to the words of John Paul II.

This is yet another case in which João Paulo, today called Grande, proved that this nickname was not given to him by chance.