Pope's Bosnia Visit Highlights Country's Divisions

Unusually large crowds attended the Sunday service at Sarajevo's cathedral after tens of thousands of people came to the city for Pope Francis's visit the day before.

In Sarajevo's old town, Bascarsija, the shops, cafes and restaurants brimmed with visitors, while commemorative caps, T-shirts, coffee-mugs and other souvenirs with the Pope's smiling face were on sale at every corner.

Iva, 65, who was among more than 65,000 pilgrims who attended the pontiff's mass at Sarajevo's Zetra stadium on Saturday, said she hoped that Pope Francis's message of peace, ethnic tolerance and reconciliation for the people of post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina would make an impact.

"The Pope is a great personality. He has a big heart and he is focused on peace. He said 'peace be with you', and by 'you', he meant people of all [ethnic groups in the country]," she told BIRN.

"The Pope has a great reputation and his messages are so powerful that everyone should hear what he had to say," said Amir, 56, who watched the Pope's entire visit on local TV, which was broadcasting it live.

"I hope there will be benefits from this visit in the sense of better understanding," he said.

Even on Monday morning, local newspapers and magazines were still showing pictures from the pontiff's visit and reporting his messages of tolerance.

Pope Francis reiterated his theme during his regular address at the Vatican on Sunday. 

"Yesterday I went to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a pilgrim of peace and hope," he said. 

"Sarajevo is a city-symbol. For centuries it has been a place of coexistence between peoples and religions, and so it was called the 'Jerusalem of the West.' In the recent past it has become a symbol of the destruction of war. Now it's...