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   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    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.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    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.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    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.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    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.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:   
   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
   Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican   
   Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially quoting the   
   source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.   
   http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)