VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - # 009   
   DATE 15-01-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Pope Francis arrives in Manila   
   - Accord between the Holy See and Serbia   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Pope Francis arrives in Manila   
    Vatican City, 15 January 2015 (VIS) - Early this morning the Holy Father   
   travelled by car from the apostolic nunciature of Colombo to the airport,   
   where he departed for Manila, capital of the Philippines. During the journey   
   he stopped to visit the Benedict XVI Cultural Institute where he was received   
   by Fr. Mahamale Quintus Fernando, rector of the Institute, and two hundred   
   workers who had collaborated in building the centre in 2011. He then visited   
   the "Our Lady of Lanka" Chapel, where he was awaited by ten Jesuit fathers   
   belonging to the Community linked to the Institute, a choir and a group of   
   fishermen from the area.   
    The Chapel of "Our Lady of Lanka" dates from 1911 and was initially dedicated   
   to Our Lady of Lourdes. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Cardinal   
   Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I., archbishop of Colombo, made a vow to the Virgin: if   
   the country was spared the horrors of war, he would build a shrine where the   
   chapel stood, dedicated to "Our Lady of Lanka". The works were completed in   
   1974 and it was consecrated in February of the same year, with the status of   
   Minor Basilica granted by Pope Paul VI. The Benedict XVI Cultural Institute   
   was opened in 2011 upon the initiative of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, archbishop   
   of Colombo, to facilitate collaboration with the authorities and other   
   agencies in rebuilding the nation following thirty years of civil war.   
    Pope Francis then resumed his journey to the airport, where Maithripala   
   Sirisena, president of the Republic, various representatives of the civil   
   authorities and a group of faithful bade him farewell.   
    At 9 a.m. local time the aircraft carrying the Pope departed from Colombo for   
   the Filipino capital. After a flight of six and a quarter hours, he arrived at   
   the Villamor Air Base in Manila where he was received by representatives of   
   the religious and civil authorities, including the apostolic nuncio Archbishop   
   Giuseppe Pinto and the president of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III.   
    Two children offered flowers to the Pope as he disembarked, around one   
   hundred adolescents sang "Welcome Pope Francis", and a large group of smaller   
   children dressed in white and yellow performed a lively dance. The Holy Father   
   left the air base in an open Popemobile to travel the nine kilometres   
   separating the base from the apostolic nunciature of Manila, during which he   
   greeted the many faithful who awaited him. Upon arrival at the apostolic   
   nunciature, he dined in private and rested.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Accord between the Holy See and Serbia   
    Vatican City, 15 January 2015 (VIS) - On 12 January 2015, by mutual consent,   
   the Framework Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Serbia on   
   collaboration in higher education came into force. The Agreement, signed on 27   
   June 2014, confirms the principles and defines the measures to be taken by   
   both Parties within the field of higher education.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, (VIS) - The Holy Father has:   
    - given his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the   
   Chaldean Church of Rev. Basel Yaldo as auxiliary of the Patriarchate of   
   Babylon of the Chaldeans. The bishop-elect was born in Telkaif, Iraq in 1970   
   and was ordained a priest in 2002. He studied theology at the Pontifical   
   Urbanian University and holds a master's degree in dogmatic theology and a   
   doctorate from the same University. He has served in a number of roles,   
   including vice-rector of the major seminary of the Chaldeans in Baghdad,   
   lecturer in dogmatic theology at the Babel College, deputy priest of the   
   Church of the Sacred Heart in Baghdad, and special secretary to the late   
   Patriarch Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly. He is currently priest of the St.   
   George Chaldean Catholic Church in Michigan, U.S.A.   
    - appointed Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona as bishop of the Chaldean eparchy of   
   St. Thomas the Apostle in Sydney, Australia. Formerly Chaldean archbishop of   
   Mossul, Iraq, he retains the dignity of archbishop and succeeds Msgr. Djibrail   
   Kassab, whose resignation was accepted.   
    - appointed Chorbishop Emmanuel Challita as bishop of the Chaldean eparchy of   
   Mar Addai in Toronto, Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Fishkabour-Zakho,   
   Iraq in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in biblical   
   theology from the Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome, and has served in a   
   number of pastoral roles, including deputy priest of the St. Joseph's parish,   
   Troy, Michigan, U.S.A. He is currently priest of St. George's parish in   
   Township, Michigan, U.S.A.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   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 by 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)