DECLARATION BY HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE DIRECTOR

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration late yesterday:

"The head of the Italian delegation, Ambassador Umberto Vattani, and that of the Holy See Delegation, Msgr. Celestino Migliore, met this evening to detail the work of the Italy-Holy See Bilateral Commission in charge of the solution of the problems related to the intensity of Vatican Radio's electromagnetic fields in Santa Maria di Galeria.

"In expectation of the completion of the process of joint measurement, established by the technical protocol adopted last March 23, the Holy See confirms that it has reduced, unilaterally, by 50 percent the power of medium wave emission from Vatican Radio's broadcasting center in Santa Maria di Galeria, since last February 1, and is committed to reducing the duration of emission of the same broadcasting station in order to take into account the thresholds established by Ministerial Decree n. 381/98.

"The Bilateral Commission will meet again on April 18."

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GENERAL AUDIENCE: TOMORROW BEGINS THE EASTER TRIDUUM

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - In today's general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II recalled that tomorrow begins the Easter Triduum and said that "from tomorrow to Sunday we will live the central days of the liturgy: the mystery of the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord."

"Tomorrow we enter the Cenacle," the Pope continued, "to welcome the extraordinary gift of the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the new commandment. On Good Friday we travel the sorrowful way to Calvary again, where Christ will fulfill His sacrifice. On Holy Saturday, we wait in silence to enter the solemn Easter Vigil."

The Holy Father affirmed that: "The Eucharist is the eloquent sign of this total, free, and voluntary love, and it offers each person the joy of the presence of He who also enables us to love, in imitation of Himself, 'to the end'. It is a demanding love which Jesus proposes to his disciples."

On Calvary, the Holy Father added, "we contemplate a love whose complete fulfillment is the gift of life. ... When we celebrate the Passion of the Lord, next Friday, and take part in the Way of the Cross, we cannot forget the strength of this love which is given without measure."

The Pope emphasized that "we spend Holy Saturday in silent expectation for the encounter with the Risen One. We can in this way better prepare ourselves for the solemn Easter Vigil, when the resplendent light of the Risen Christ will flood into the heart of night."

John Paul II concluded the catechesis with these words: "In this last part of the penitential journey may we be accompanied by Mary, the Virgin who remained ever faithful beside her Son, especially in the days of the Passion. May she teach us to love 'to the end' as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus who through His Death and Resurrection has saved the world."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Gerard J.N. de Korte, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Utrecht (area 10,000, population 3,000,000, Catholics 800,000, priests 276, permanent deacons 55, religious 1,703), Netherlands, deacon of Salland, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Utrecht. The bishop-elect was born in Vianen, Netherlands, in 1955, and ordained to the priesthood in 1987.

- Appointed Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, apostolic nuncio in Lebanon, as secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Appointed Bishop Francesco Lambiasi of Anagni-Alatri, Italy, general ecclesiastical assistant of Italian Catholic Action, as consultor to the Congregation for Bishops.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, APR 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Msgr. Leo Boccardi, Holy See Representative and Permanent Observer to the International Organizations in Vienna.

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