PAPAL PILGRIMAGE TO HOLY LAND FORESEEN FOR MARCH 2000

VATICAN CITY, NOV 17, 1999 (VIS) - Today at noon in the Holy See Press Office there was a press conference to present an updated Jubilee calendar of events, along with the charitable initiatives which will be undertaken by the Church, especially the diocese of Rome, during the Holy Year 2000.

Present were Cardinal Etchegaray and Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, respectively president and secretary of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, Marcello Sacchetti, president of St. Peter's Club, Msgr. Guerino Di Tora, the head of Caritas in Rome and Volker Goetz, president of the Solidarity Fund.

Archbishop Sepe began the presentation of the New Jubilee calendar by listing the principal changes and new events. He said the calendar has been printed in various languages and sent to all the bishops in the world, as well as to interested offices and institutions.

Events where the Holy Father will be present are marked by an asterisk. From Friday, December 24, 1999, the vigil of Christmas and the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's, through January 6, 2001, the Epiphany and the closing of that same Holy Door, and thus the Holy Year, the Pope is scheduled to participate in 65 events. The introduction to the calendar states that other papal events, however, may be inserted throughout the year.

Among the changes or additions to the Jubilee calendar: Pope John Paul II will personally open the Holy Doors of all four patriarchal basilicas (St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls); beatification ceremonies go from two to three ( March 5, April 9, September 3), and there are now two canonization ceremonies scheduled (May 21 and October 1: this was moved from November 1; the "request for pardon" ceremony will take place on the First Sunday of Lent, March 12, in St. Peter's, instead of Ash Wednesday, March 8. Four concerts in the Vatican have been added to the calendar: May 18 (Pope John Paul's 80th birthday), June 8, September 23 and October 22.

"The apostolic pilgrimage of the Pope to the Holy Land has also been placed on the Jubilee calendar," Archbishop Sepe pointed out. In fact, a footnote for the month of March 2000 states that the Pope's trip to the Holy Land is foreseen within the last ten days of that month.

Marcello Sacchetti then explained that St. Peter's Club has been performing charitable works in Rome since 1869. They are in charge of collecting Peter's Pence in the diocese of Rome: this offering is then given to the Pope to use for his favorite charities. The Club is also in charge of the chapel located in the Colosseum where Mass is said every Sunday of the year.
Mr. Sacchetti stated that, for the entire Jubilee Year, St. Peter's Club will provide free daily hot meals for the needy who have come to Rome on pilgrimage. These will be available at special kiosks at each of the four patriarchal basilicas (200 meals at St. Peter's, and 100 at each of the other basilicas).

Archbishop Sepe indicated that "in the whole country at the present time, around 400 houses have been made available by various ecclesial bodies. These will offer hospitality at reduced prices, while around 40 will offer free hospitality, for a total of over 26,000 beds."

The director of Caritas in Rome, Guerino Di Tora, said that during the Jubilee, Caritas aims to "upgrade the operation of its services, especially as regards board, lodging and health care."

On the subject of initiatives for the Holy Year in Rome, he announced, among other things: the improvement of services in meals for the poor; the opening of a welcome center for pilgrims infected with the AIDS virus; the publication of a guide to places of worship and prayer for immigrants and the publication of a new edition of the guide to social and health services in the city.

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