VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXIV - # 82
DATE 06-05-2014

Summary:
- SWISS GUARD: MORE THAN 500 YEARS OF LOYALTY TO THE POPE
- THE SUPREME PATRIARCH AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL THE ARMENIANS, KAREKIN II, TO
VISIT ROME
- IN MEMORIAM
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

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 SWISS GUARD: MORE THAN 500 YEARS OF LOYALTY TO THE POPE
 Vatican City, 6 May 2014 (VIS) - The swearing-in ceremony for the new
recruits to the Swiss Guard, which takes place every 6 May, was held at
10.30 this morning in the San Damaso courtyard. Before cardinals, bishops,
members of the Curia, representatives of the diplomatic delegations to the
Holy See, the Swiss Army, relatives and friends, the thirty new recruits
swore their allegiance to the Holy Father one by one, over the flag of the
Corps and wearing the traditional uniform. "There is a festive
atmosphere. The sound of voices and music, the colours of the uniforms and
flags, and the presence of many guests all show that this is an important
moment", said Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu, substitute of the
Segretariat of State in his discourse, representing the Holy Father.
 "Five hundred and eight years have passed since the establishment of
this meritorious Guard corps", continued Archbishop Becciu, "and
the fact that Switzerland continues to send young men keen to serve the
Pope is a cause for offering fervent thanks to God". The prelate went
on to encourage the new recruits to invoke with affection and devotion the
two new saints, St. John Paul II and Saint John XXIII. "Ask them to
help us to fulfil our obligations to the best of our abilities". He
also mentioned that this is the month of May, "the month of Mary, and
so the commencement of your service is under the special protection of Mary
most Holy".
 During the ceremony, the delegation from the canton Schwyz was led by the
president Walter Stahlin and included the new Swiss ambassador to the Holy
See, Pierre-Yves Fux. This afternoon at 5.30, Cardinal Secretary of State
Pietro Parolin will celebrate the Eucharist in St. Peter's Basilica,
accompanied by the "Singkreis Brunnen", a choir from the canton
Schwyz.

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 THE SUPREME PATRIARCH AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL THE ARMENIANS, KAREKIN II, TO VISIT ROME
 Vatican City, 6 May 2014 (VIS) - His Holiness Karekin II, head of the of
the Catholicate of Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church will visit
Rome from 7 to 9 May to meet with His Holiness Pope Francis. Karekin II was
elected the 132nd Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians in
1999.
 The Armenian Church consists of two catholicates and two patriarchates,
and around six million faithful. The two catholicates of Etchmiadzin and
Antelias are in full communion, but they are independent from an
administrative point of view. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and
the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople refer to Etchmiadzin for
spiritual questions.
 Following Vatican Council II, new relations have developed between the
Catholic Church and the Armenian Church. Representatives of the two
catholicates of Etchmiadzin and Antelias are members of the Mixed
International Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
 During the Jubilee year 2000, the Catholicos Karekin II visited the Church
of Rome. In 2001, Pope John Paul II paid a visit to the Catholicate of
Etchmiadzin. The patriarch later headed the Armenian delegation during the
funeral of John Paul II. Karekin II also met with Benedict XVI in 2008 and
2012, and was present during the inauguration of the Petrine ministry of
Pope Francis.
 On 8 May the Catholicos will meet Pope Francis and they will pray
together. They will visit the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity and various other dicasteries of the Roman Curia. Finally, they will
visit the tomb of St. Peter and pray before the statue of St. Gregory the
Illuminator, which is located on the north courtyard of the Vatican
Basilica.

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 IN MEMORIAM
 Vatican City, 6 May 2014 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
 - Bishop Andrew Joseph McDonald, emeritus of Little Rock, U.S.A., on 1
April at the age of 90.
 - Bishop Michael Pearse Lacey, auxiliary emeritus of Toronto, Canada, on 2
April at the age of 97.
 - Bishop Pedro Fre, C.SS.R., emeritus of Barretos, Brazil, on 3 April at
the age of 89.
 - Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch emeritus of Babylon of the
Chaldeans, on 8 April at the age of 86.
 - Archbishop Boniface Lele, emeritus of Mombasa, Kenya, on 9 April at the age of 67.
 - Bishop Jan Hirka, emeritus of Presov, Slovakia, on 10 April at the age of 90.
 - Archbishop Robert-Casimir Tonyui Messan Dosseh-Anyron, emeritus of Lome,
Togo, on 15 April at the age of 88.
 - Bishop Anselmo Zarza Bernal, emeritus of Leon, Mexico, on 15 April at
the age of 97.
 - Bishop Ramon Malla Call, emeritus of Lleida, Spain, on 18 April at the age of 91.
 - Bishop Francisco Ovidio Vera Intriago, auxiliary of Portoviejo, Ecuador,
on 21 April at the age of 71.
 - Bishop Boniface Nyema Dalieh, emeritus of Cape Palmas, Liberia, on 25
April at the age of 80.
 - Bishop Jose Moreira Bastos Neto, of Tres Lagoas, Brazil, on 26 April at
the age of 61.
 - Bishop Protacio Guevarra Gungon, emeritus of Antipolo, Philippines, on
26 April at the age of 88.
 - Archbishop Aloisio Roque Oppermann, S.C.I., emeritus of Uberaba, Brazil,
on 26 April at the age of 77.
 - Archbishop Damiao Antonio Franklin, of Luanda, Angola, on 28 April at
the age of 63.
 - Bishop Tomas Balduino, O.P., emeritus of Goias, Brazil on 2 May at the age of 91.

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 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 6 May 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
 - appointed Fr. Telesphore Bilung, S.V.D., as auxiliary of the archdiocese
of Ranchi (area 5,299, population 3,156,000, Catholics 140,503, priests
255, religious 1,266), India. The bishop-elect was born in Sargidipa, India
in 1961, professed his solemn vows in 1991 and and was ordained a priest in
1992. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics, philosophy and theology
from Jnana Deepa Vidyapeth, Pune, and has served in a number of pastoral
roles, including rector of the minor seminary of Sambalpur and of the SVD
Formation House of Lungai; priest in Premnagar, Calcutta; pioneer of the
mission of Bezda, Calcutta; and rector of the minor seminary of the Divine
Word Missionaries in Lungai. He is currently provincial superior of the
Divine Word Missionaries.

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