Archbishop Gallagher visits Croatia

By Vatican News

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, began a three-day visit to Croatia on Thursday, May 30.

He was invited by Archbishop Dražen Kutleša of Zagreb for the feast of Our Lady of the Stone Gate, the patron saint of Croatia’s capital.

Itinerary

According to his schedule, Archbishop Gallagher will meet with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić-Radman.

He will also attend the grand opening of the Croatian Catholic University Library, where he will give a lecture.

Finally, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States will celebrate the Eucharist at Zagreb Cathedral for the feast of Our Lady of the Stone Gate, attended by Croatian bishops.

Mass for Statehood Day

On May 28th, Archbishop Gallagher presided over a Mass for Croatia’s Statehood Day at the Church of St. Jerome in Rome.

During the celebration, he noted that relations between the country and the Holy See “have never waned, despite many conflicts throughout history.”

In his homily, the prelate invited the faithful to pray for all nations afflicted by wars and conflicts and thanked God for “the gift of freedom and peace” in Croatia.