ZAGREB, 5 Dec (Hina) – Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday, following his talks with Pope Leo XIV, that Croatia would be delighted to welcome a papal visit, which would further strengthen the centuries-long bond between the Catholic Church and the Croatian people.
Pope Leo XIV received Prime Minister Plenković, his family and his delegation in an audience on Friday. The talks highlighted the desire to continue improving relations between Croatia and the Holy See during his pontificate.
“We discussed above all the relationship between Croatia and the Holy See, our centuries-long connection, the role of the Catholic Church in shaping Croatian identity, our tradition and faith, and everything that has sustained the Croatian people over the centuries. Naturally, we expressed our wish that these relations continue to be advanced during his pontificate,” Plenković told reporters after the meeting.
He said that the excellent relations between Croatia and the Holy See had been reaffirmed, as had the continuation of regular dialogue between the Croatian government and the Croatian Bishops’ Conference on all issues important to the Catholic Church.
He took the opportunity to renew his invitation for the Pope to visit Croatia. “We would be exceptionally pleased if Pope Leo XIV visited Croatia, which would further reinforce the centuries-old bond between the Catholic Church and the Croatian people.”
Pope Francis did not visit Croatia during his pontificate. The last head of the Roman Catholic Church to visit Croatia was Benedict XVI fourteen years ago.
Stepinac already a saint in the eyes of Croats
The prime minister said it was a great honour to meet the Holy Father in the Vatican. He presented him with a valuable monograph, Incunabula Croatica, to help him become more familiar with Croatian culture, literacy and tradition.
The monograph includes 96 Croatian incunabula in 180 copies identified in 40 institutions across Croatia. It is a major publishing project by the National and University Library and makes an important contribution to the study of incunabula and the history of Croatian books.
“I believe this is an appropriate gift which, among everything that arrives here from all parts of the world, will be a modest but valuable contribution from Croatia,” Plenković said.
Leo presented him with a bronze depicting the Trinity.
Asked whether the issue of Stepinac had been discussed, the prime minister replied: “As far as Croats, the Croatian people are concerned, he is practically already a saint, and as for the procedure itself, we consider that to be a matter for the Church.”
Global challenges
The prime minister also discussed global challenges with the Pope, highlighting the need for firm commitment to peace, democratic values, solidarity and respect for international law. They stressed the importance of ending the war in Ukraine as soon as possible and achieving a lasting and just peace, and advocated for stabilising the situation in the Middle East.
Leo XIV is offering his good offices in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, drawing on the influence of Vatican diplomacy to create the conditions for a ceasefire and, subsequently, for a lasting and just peace, Plenković said.
Their talks also touched on the Pope’s first pastoral trip to Turkey and Lebanon. His message of peace, cooperation and dialogue is highly welcome in the broader context of efforts to stabilise the situation in the Middle East, particularly after the war between Israel and Hamas and the situation in Gaza, the prime minister said.
Plenković also emphasised the need to support neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Croats are one of the three constituent peoples, and advocated for an equal position for Croats, especially ahead of the 2026 autumn elections.
The prime minister is due to visit the Croatian church of St Jerome and the Pontifical Croatian College of St Jerome this evening. A Mass in Croatian will be celebrated there by Archbishop Petar Rajić, Apostolic Nuncio to Italy and San Marino.
After the Mass, Plenković is scheduled to meet members of the Croatian community in Rome.
