Is the Pope coming to Belgrade? – alo.rs

Pope Francis, Photo: Tanjug

According to Jutarnji’s list, the possibility of the Pope’s arrival in Belgrade stems from various meetings, visits, as well as, as they say, interesting performances that attract attention.

These activities include the visit of the Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia, Monsignor Dorđo Lingva, to the Bishop of Požega, Antun Škvorčević, in mid-October. local church of St. Nicholas led the ecumenical prayer.

Will the Pope come to Belgrade?

At the same time, they add, the absolute nuncio in Belgrade, Luciano Suriani, visited the nuncio in Zagreb.

They also find it interesting that in early November, Pope Francis gave an interview to the Belgrade Politika, which, as they say, many saw as an announcement of his visit to Belgrade, but also with the observation that “of course it is not known when it could happen. “

As an argument, they claim that Pope Francis has long wanted to visit Belgrade because, as they say, from his ecumenical policy, especially the establishment of cooperation and ties with Orthodoxy, and the Serbian Orthodox Church, together with the Russian Orthodox Church, is considered very strong and influential.

The importance of Serbia for Pope Francis was seen, the newspaper writes, in May last year, when in an interview with Politika, Cardinal Pietro Parolin “explicitly requested Orthodox-Catholic cooperation.”

Pope Francis, Photo: Tanjug / AP

They also add to the recent interview of the Archbishop of Belgrade, Stanislav Hocevar, who said about the possible visit of the Pope that Parolin was not in Serbia to prepare for the Pope’s visit, but added that it was “normal for the Holy Father to come to Belgrade” .

Among the aggravating circumstances of the Pope’s visit to Belgrade, they affirm that it cannot be done without the consent of the Russian Orthodox Church, and especially, as they say, while Patriarch Irinej is at the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

They estimate that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, would have nothing against the Pope’s visit, but, they say, he would have to agree on that with the leadership of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

By the way, the current Pope, as well as the previous one, has so far received several invitations from Serbian officials to visit Belgrade, but the Serbian Orthodox Church is opposed, and Jutarnji sees the biggest controversy in Patriarch Irinej, recalling that he is now being treated. by coronavirus. The Serbian Orthodox Church has been speculating about his successor for months.

The bishop of Bačka Irinej Bulović, the bishop of Pakrac-Slavonia Jovan Chulibrko and the metropolitan of Zagreb Porfirio Perić are mentioned as three inescapable candidates.

Jutarnji also connects the Pope’s eventual visit to Belgrade with the question of declaring Lodzije Stepinac a saint.