Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, visited Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Balkan nation of 3.8 million (map) that is 47% Muslim, 38% Orthodox, and 11% Catholic.

Against the backdrop of tensions fueled by the rise of radical Islam, Archbishop Gallagher told religious leaders that “we live in an age where dialogue, tolerance, and mutual understanding are highly valued. This region is especially aware of this, where Latin, Byzantine, and Islamic cultures have met and sometimes clashed for centuries.”

The prelate also met with the nation’s leaders. Participants, according to the Sarajevo Times, said that relations between the Holy See and the Balkan nation are “extremely good and friendly, with space for additional strengthening and intensification.”