The chronicler of the arrival of Pope Alexander III to Zadar, neglects to mention the ambience within which the event takes place. The chronicler states that the Pope rode into town on a white horse and that the people awaited him, singing canticles and hymns in the Croatian (Slavic) language as he headed towards the cathedral.
The Pope of contemporary times no longer greets his followers in cathedrals no matter how large they may be. No enclosed space in the world could fit all those interested in his visits and almost all liturgies and other celebrations are held out in the open. And one more task was added to all the organizational tasks of such mass gatherings – that of designing and organizing a special stage for this event.
Before making a final decision about how the stage would appear–Nikola Bašić, the architect in charge of this project, explains – “ I asked myself how could one design and realize a suitable stage in the heart of the country’s historical core, a space-full of sacral objects, a holy place of Croatian history and culture?”. How could one escape the trap of the conscious or subconscious competing with symbolic monuments? How to avoid falling prey to the iconography of mass gatherings and flood of religious memorabilia, yet retain an unpretentious and dignified quality, appropriate for the scene? How to be yourself, yet still be understood by a worldwide audience?
The architect found inspiration in childhood memories of the church festivities in his hometown. One example is the traditional wreaths made from greenery as a backdrop for the ceremony.
Aside from expressing love and respect towards someone so cherished references to biblical scenes and scenes from Christ’s life are depicted in wreaths of interwoven natural vegetation from the fields, vineyards, and underbrush, we presented the unmistakable part of local and Mediterranean identity. Of course in addition, to this we should at least recognize nautical references in the form of a boat.
The boat serves as a paradigm for many meanings. This is the boat with which a Pope arrived to the Zadar port for the first time, the boat which symbolically represents Christ’s Church, it is the historical boat of times past, as a sign of Croatian presence on the seas, and an element of Croatian belonging to the Mediterranean. Finally, this is the vessel of my childhood on the island, a one-masted fishing boat with a Latin sail. Nothing as simple and powerful, as concrete and metaphorical, captures the reality and symbolism of our presence on the seas, as much as the boat, or rather, its scenic realization – a sail, mast and boom.
What has remained after all? What kinds of impressions did the people making the pilgrimage to the Zadar Forum and the anchored boats in front of the ceremonial stage, (amongst which were the boats of the author’s childhood) take away with them? Did the people in their religious rapture, taken with emotion, even notice the sail-shaped canopy under which sat the Pope? Did the intense Mediterranean greenery interwoven into wreaths cool the forehead from the hot noon sun, at least in thought? Many will agree that the welcoming of the Pope to the Forum was impressive and fitting for the importance of the occasion, and it seems to us that the spatial, symbolic and aesthetic interpretation of this reception represented something new in Croatian architectural practic, something which we are not accustomed to. Perhaps for the first time in an important and demanding undertaking, were elements of Croatian spirit and identity expressed in a simple and humble manner. Elements which should distinguish Croatia with-in the international community.