Twelve Croatian ultramarathon runners who three days ago departed for Sarajevo from Tovarnik arrived in Sarajevo today to welcome Pope Francis, reports TV N1.

They ran 270 kilometers with the motto "Towards a pilgrim of peace, Pope Francis".

“We just wanted to come to Sarajevo and see Pope Francis. Twelve ultramarathon runners from Croatia, gathered around the Ante Starčević Association, each year run a marathon from Tovarnik to Vukovar.

We will give a book to Pope Francis, told N1 Krešimir Žagar, one of the runners and the mayor of Našice with the message that they are pilgrims of peace and truth.

Thousands of people are now on their way to Sarajevo.

“We used our running capabilities,” said Žagar who ran for 21 hours with his fellow runners.