DHAKA: Pope Francis is celebrating Mass in front of tens of thousands of Catholics at a stadium in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The pontiff’s visit to the capital, Sarajevo, is aimed at promoting peace and reconciliation across the country, reports the BBC.

The Pope will also meet members of the Muslim, Orthodox Christian and Jewish communities during his one-day trip.

Bosnia remains divided along religious and ethnic lines, 20 years after its civil war which depleted the Catholic population.

Cardinal Vinko Puljic urged people of all faiths to “keep their ears and hearts open for the pope’s message”.

“We have put a lot of love into the preparations for the visit,” he said. “The city is radiating joy.”

The war between Christian Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Bosniaks in the early 90s resulted in deep ethnic divisions.

Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Catholics, from the Bosnian Croatian community, are estimated to number 10-15 percent of the population.

BDST: 1715 HRS, JUNE 06, 2015
BD/