OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 7, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the apostolic prefecture of Quetta (area 347,000, population 5,000,000, Catholics 27,000, priests 8, religious 12), Pakistan, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Karachi and the diocese of Hyderabad. He appointed Fr. Victor Gnanapragasam O.M.I., superior of the O.M.I. delegation in Pakistan, as the first apostolic prefect of the new prefecture.

- Appointed Msgr. Claudio Gugerotti, under-secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as apostolic nuncio in Georgia and Armenia, at the same time elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. The archbishop-elect was born in Verona, Italy, in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1982.

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