18 years ago, Sarajevo eagerly awaited the arrival of Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II visited Sarajevo on April 12 and 13, 1997. It was his first visit to BiH. The Pope was supposed to visit BiH earlier in 1994, but due to the horrors of war in BiH, no one could guarantee his safety, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

Six years later, on June 22, 2003, Pope John Paul II visited BiH again, this time Banja Luka.

The Pope's arrival in Sarajevo gave great hope to the war-torn and devastated country. Upon exiting the plane, the Pope kissed the BiH soil and called for a lasting commitment to peace, after which he attended Mass in the Sarajevo Cathedral.

The Pope was welcomed at Sarajevo Airport by the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH, Alija Izetbegović, with the highest state delegation of BiH.

The next day, in front of 50,000 people at the Koševo stadium, the Pope led a solemn Eucharistic celebration. He called for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation, adding that truth and justice are essential prerequisites for reconciliation.

Although John Paul II wanted to visit Sarajevo as early as 1994, and although preparations for his visit were almost complete, the visit could not take place as no one could guarantee the safety of the Pope and pilgrims. Therefore, John Paul II delivered a speech in Castel Gandolfo that he intended to give in Sarajevo. In the speech, which was broadcast by BiH television, the Pope addressed as if he were in Sarajevo.

Pope John Paul II mentioned BiH 263 times in his speeches, which is more than any other country in the world.

A monument to Pope John Paul II was erected in front of the Sarajevo Cathedral in 2014.

In June of this year, the current Pope Francis will visit Sarajevo, writes NAP.