Message from Pope Francis ahead of his arrival in Sarajevo: I come among you as a brother and messenger of peace

Ahead of his arrival in Sarajevo on June 6, 2015, Pope Francis sent a video message, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Dear brothers and sisters!

Only a few days remain until the journey that will bring me among you in Sarajevo. This thought fills me with joy, and I wish to extend a heartfelt greeting to all of you who live in that city and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

With God's help, I come among you to strengthen Catholic believers in their faith, to express support for ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and above all to encourage peaceful coexistence in your country. I invite you to join me in prayer so that this apostolic journey may bear the fruits we hope for the Christian community and for the whole society.

„Peace be with you!“ This is the motto of my visit. These are the words with which the risen Jesus greeted his disciples in the upper room on Easter evening. It is He, our Lord and our hope, who gives us His peace, that we may receive it into our hearts and spread it with joy and love.

For my part, I am preparing to come among you as a brother and messenger of peace, in order to express to all – I emphasize to all! – my respect and my friendship. I would like to proclaim to every person, every family, every community God's mercy, tenderness, and love.

Dear brothers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I bring to all of you my love and strong spiritual closeness. I encourage you Catholics to stand by your fellow citizens as witnesses of faith and God's love, contributing to the building of a society that walks toward peace, in coexistence and mutual cooperation.

Longing to meet you, I invoke upon Sarajevo and upon the whole country the blessing of the Lord and the motherly protection of the Virgin Mary. Thank you, and see you soon!