Vinko Puljic

Bosnian academics bestowed the honorary Isa-bey Ishakovic award, named after the 15th-century founder of Sarajevo, on Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic on Thursday to underline the importance of good relations between Bosnia and Croatia.

Pope Francis will visit the Bosnian capital on June 6 where he will hold a mass and meet political leaders, the apostolic nuncio to Bosnia, Luigi Pezzuto, confirmed in Sarajevo on Monday.

Pope Francis himself during his sermon on Sunday broke the news about his plans to visit Sarajevo.

A statue of the late Pontiff John Paul II, who was Pope from 1978 to 2005, is to be erected soon in Sarajevo beside the Catholic Sacred Heart Cathedral in the city centre.

The statue of the former Pope is to be unveiled on April 30, after a ceremonial council of the priests of the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna, as the Sarajevo diocese is known.