Pope John Paul II Visits Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, visited Sarajevo in Bosnia-Hercegovina, for two days in April. This fulfilled a promise he made to the people of that region when he had to cancel his planned pilgrimage a couple of years earlier because his safety could not be guaranteed at the time that Sarajevo was still under seige. The first to greet the Pope, upon his arrival to Sarajevo, were three bishops and two Franciscans. When John Paul II was before the Franciscan Provincial from Bosnia-Hercegovina, Fr. Petar Andjelovic, he asked:

“Medjugorje?”

Fr. Petar pointed to Fr. Tomislav Pervan, Provincial from Herzegovina. Fr. Tomislav said:

“I am from Mostar and Medjugorje.”

The Pope nodded with satisfaction while repeating, “Medjugorje, Medjugorje.”

The scene was seen by all who followed the event on television.