In a conversation with security services I was pleasantly surprised by the way the preparations are ongoing and how everything is under control and people should have trust again for the fear that was imposed upon them. These unfortunate events must not happen in Sarajevo, said the Archbishop of Vrhbosna Cardinal Vinko Puljić, who is the President of the Church Committee for the preparation of the visit of Pope Francis to Bosnia and Herzegovina who will visit Sarajevo on June 6.
More than 50,000 pilgrims were reported today and he asked the interested parties to register as soon as possible since the deadline for registration cannot be extended anymore because entrance passes must be approved by the parish offices and the Bishop’s Ordinariate.
He announced that entrance tickets will be distributed by May 25 and that the distribution in Croatia will take place through bishops’ ordinariates.
He also said that instruction will be sent on what a person can carry with them and what not and this is part of the security and not precaution because “we want to prevent any moment that could cause suspicion”.
Considering that more than a thousand buses are expected, major traffic congestion will be present and those who register must leave on time so they can get to their destination earlier because the entrance will be open by 09.00 hours. Parking places for organized visits are secured, for buses while for those who are visiting individually, parking places are not secured and they will have to find parking on their own.
Also, Cardinal Puljić said that around 3,500 young people said that they would like to attend the Pope’s visit, of which 1,500 were registered for the wake which will be held in the Sarajevo quarter Stup. Around 500 volunteers are reported and all of them are from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the coming days, a booklet on instructions will be published and, as Cardinal Puljić said, they hope they will be able to print a church map for tourists.
Accreditation of journalists will to be completed by May 15, other accreditations will soon be printed, so that each service will have its accreditation.
Applications for the welcoming of the Pope arrived from Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Italy, “so that the figure is great and it is wonderful that people want to support the arrival of the Pope in Sarajevo, it is a nice gesture and we are especially looking forward that people show that closeness.”
(Source: Fena)
