This afternoon, in Saint Peter’s Square, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience a group of pilgrims from Croatia, to whom he addressed the following greeting:

Greeting of the Holy Father

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

Pax vobis!

Praise be to Jesus and Mary, Hvaljen Isus i Marija!

Dear Croatian pilgrims,

I welcome you with great joy in Saint Peter’s Square, where you are gathered on the occasion of your national Jubilee Year pilgrimage. Your numerous and prayerful presence is an eloquent sign of the vitality of the faith of your people, who throughout the centuries have remained steadfast in communion with the Church and faithful to the Successor of the Apostle Peter.

It is a source of deep consolation to see how the roots of your faith have not remained fixed in the past, but continue to bear fruit today, thanks to the witness of your families, your parish communities and your associations. The tradition received from your fathers is a precious treasure, which you carefully preserve and are called to renew continually, always remaining open to recognizing what the Holy Spirit inspires.

I thank you from my heart for this fidelity lived in the concrete reality of daily life. I am well aware that many of you find yourselves in different parts of the world, far from your homeland, for work, study or other needs; but wherever you may be, you remain bound to your Christian roots and offer the witness of a people who love Christ and his Church. This consistency of life is an evangelical word that is more eloquent than many speeches.

I encourage you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who guides you and accompanies you, and to let yourselves be led by him with confidence and docility. Do not forget that faith grows and is strengthened when it is shared: therefore, I invite you to transmit with joy to your children and to the new generations the Christian values that have formed your long history and your culture. In this way, you will continue to be a leaven of peace, goodness and hope in a world riven by violence and wars, which you too know from your history.

May the Lord bless you, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom you invoke as Advocata fidelissima Croatiae, keep you under her mantle and accompany you on your daily journey. To all of you present here, your families, all your loved ones and all the Croatian people, I cordially impart the Apostolic Blessing, as a sign of the Pope’s closeness and affection for each one of you.

Oremus: Pater Noster…

Blessing