For the first time in 36 years, a Banja Luka mayor attended a mass at the Saint Bonaventure Cathedral, Nova BH TV reported Sunday.

The arrival of Drasko Stanivukovic was welcomed with applause and the Mayor said he came to the Easter service to send a message of peace, forgiveness and coexistence.

Свим вјерницима католичке вјероисповијести пожелио сам срећан Ускрс.

Част ми је била данас, заједно са вјерницима присуствовати Ускршњој миси у Бањој Луци коју је предводио бискуп Комарица, одакле смо заједно послали поруку да је Бања Лука град у којем има мјеста за све. pic.twitter.com/CRvIAN2R7i

— Драшко Станивуковић (@Stanivukovic_D) April 17, 2022

The Archbishop of Vrhbosna, Tomo Vuksic, said that Easter is a celebration of hope and a response to man's natural desire for life, which is the most primordial hope of man.

At the Easter Holy Mass in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Sarajevo, Archbishop Vuksic said that “Easter is a holiday of hope for Christians and a source of their joy”, but that it is also a holiday of hope for all other noble and good people, even the bad ones, who will find the strength and a way to turn away from their evil path.”

In the end, he pointed out that the feast of Easter, which is an expression for the grateful memories of Christians, is “a remembrance of the event of Jesus’ resurrection, which is the foundation of the Christian faith.”