WORLD TOURISM DAY TO BE CELEBRATED SEPTEMBER 27

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 1999 (VIS) - The 20th World Tourism Day will be celebrated throughout the world on Monday, September 27 on the theme "Tourism: An Instrument for Protecting the World Patrimony for the New Millennium." This world day is concomitant with the 13th general assembly of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), which will be held in Santiago, Chile, from September 24 to October 1.

The Holy See will be represented at this biennial meeting with a delegation led by Msgr. Piero Monni, the permanent observer to the WTO, and by experts in the field of tourism. The general assembly is expected to approve a World Code of Ethics of Tourism.

Msgr. Monni will address the assembly on September 28. He is scheduled to highlight the importance of this code of ethics, as well as the Holy See's attention to this theme and to others such as the religion factor in world tourism and the problem of sustainable tourism.

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EFFECTIVELY WITNESS THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 1999 (VIS) - John Paul II sent a letter to Bishop Vasco Giuseppe Bertelli of Volterra, Italy, for the commemorative celebrations of the Pope's pastoral visit to that diocese, ten years ago.

"I trust that attempting to return with mind and heart to that happy occasion, will lead the diocese to revitalize the special ties of ecclesial communion it has had with Rome since the earliest days of Christianity. That is, from the time when Providence called St. Linus, according to ancient tradition a native of Volterra, to succeed the apostle Peter in guiding the Church of Rome."

The Holy Father continues in his letter, which is dated today, feast of St. Linus, Pope and martyr: "May this diocesan community truly experience, with the active contribution of all its members, an ever more intense life of communion - a family life -so that, in these closing days of the century, it may effectively witness the message of salvation and cross the threshold of the third millennium internally renewed and ready to face the challenges of the new evangelization.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed as members of the Congregation for Bishops: Archbishops Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature and Agostino Cacciavillan, president of the Administration for the Patrimony of the Holy See.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (Atlantic Region), on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop James Hector MacDonald C.S.C., of St. John's, Newfoundland.
- Archbishop Terrence T. Prendergast S.J., of Halifax.
- Archbishop Ernest Leger of Moncton.
- Bishop Andre Richard C.S.C., of Bathurst in Canada.
- Bishop Joseph Vernon Fougere of Charlottetown.
- Bishop Francois Thibodeau C.I.M., of Edmundston.
- A delegation from the ""Jubilee 2000" campaign.

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PRESS CONFERENCE ON RESTORATION OF ST. PETER'S FACADE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 1999 (VIS) - On Tuesday September 28, in the Holy See Press Office, a presentation will be made of the work of restoration and conservation carried out on the facade of St. Peter's Basilica. The work was realized by the Fabric of St. Peter, with scientific and technological support from ENI (The National Hydrocarbon Agency).
Taking part, among others, will be Cardinal Virgilio Noe, archpriest of the Vatican Basilica and president of the Fabric of St. Peter and Sandro Benedetti, director of the technical office of the Fabric.

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