LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS PRESIDED BY POPE: FEBRUARY-APRIL

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1 2002 (VIS) - The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff has made public the calendar of celebrations that are due to be presided by the Holy Father between February 2 and April 21, 2002:

FEBRUARY

- Saturday 2, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Sixth Day of Consecrated Life. In the Vatican Basilica at 5:30 p.m., blessing of candles and procession; Mass with the religious.

- Monday 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes: In the Vatican Basilica at 4:30 p.m., Mass for "Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi" and U.N.I.T.A.L.S.I., presided in the name of the Holy Father by Cardinal Camillo Ruini. At the close of the celebration, the Holy Father will greet and bless the sick present in the basilica.

- Wednesday 13, Ash Wednesday: In the Basilica of St. Sabina at 4:30 p.m., Mass, blessing and imposition of ashes.

- Sunday 17, First Sunday of Lent: Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Henry. Mass at 9:30 a.m. At 6 p.m. in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel in the apostolic palace, start of the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia.
- Saturday 23: At 9 a.m. in the "Redemptoris Mater" Chapel, conclusion of the spiritual exercises of the Roman Curia.

- Sunday 24, Second Sunday of Lent: Pastoral visit to the Philippine Catholic Chaplaincy in the Basilica of St. Pudenciana. Mass at 9:30 a.m.

- Tuesday 26: In the apostolic palace at 11 a.m., consistory for a number of causes of canonization.

MARCH

- Sunday 3, Third Sunday of Lent: Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Gelasius I, Pope. Mass at 9:30 a.m.

- Sunday 10, Fourth Sunday of Lent: Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Hilary of Poitiers. Mass at 9:30 a.m.

- Sunday 17, Fifth Sunday of Lent: Pastoral visit to the Roman parish of St. Mary "Mediatrix". Mass at 9:30 a.m.

- Sunday 24, Palm Sunday; 17th World Youth Day: At 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, blessing of palms, procession and Mass.

- Thursday 28, Holy Thursday: Chrism Mass at 9:30 in the Vatican Basilica. At 17:30 in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, beginning of the Easter triduum; Mass of the Lord's Supper.

- Friday 29, Good Friday: At 5 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, celebration of the Passion of the Lord. At 9:15 p.m. at the Colosseum, Way of the Cross.

- Saturday 30, Holy Saturday: At 8 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica, Easter Vigil.

- Sunday 31, Easter Sunday: At 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, Mass and "Urbi et Orbi" blessing.

APRIL

- Sunday 14, Third Sunday of Easter: At 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, beatification of Servants of God: Gaetano Errico, Lodovico Pavoni, Luigi Variara, Maria del Transito de Jesus Sacramentado, Artemide Zatti and Maria Romero Meneses.

- Sunday 21, Fourth Sunday of Easter: At 9 a.m. in the Vatican Basilica, priestly ordination of deacons of the diocese of Rome.

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HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR FEBRUARY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general prayer intention for February is: "That Catholic Hospitals may be outstanding examples in the struggle against suffering and may play a leading role in proclaiming the Gospel of life and respect for the human person."

His missionary intention is: "That the Christian communities of Cambodia an Laos may devote themselves increasingly to promoting priestly and religious vocations."

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POPE PRESENTED WITH A WORK ON ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, John Paul II received members of the committee of honor of the Association for Computerizing the Heremeneutical and Lexicological Studies on St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Pope thanked the team that carried out the work; "a testimony of which," he said, "are the 56 volumes of the 'Index Thomisticus'."

He concluded by saying: "By his genius St. Thomas marked an entire epoch, and he continues to be a luminous figure in the search for and love of truth that dominate all his admirable philosophical and theological works."

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Six prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Luis Hector Villalba of Tucuman.
- Archbishop Carlos Jose Nanez of Cordoba, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Jose Angel Rovai.
- Bishop Elmer Osmar Miani of Catamarca.
- Bishop Raul Omar Rossi of San Martin.
- Bishop Jose Luis Mollaghan of San Miguel.
- Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes and Msgrs. Karel Kasteel and Francisco Azcona San Martin, respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".

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PAUL VI HAD NO INTENTION OF SELLING MICHELANGELO'S PIETA

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration regarding the supposed intention expressed by Pope Paul VI to sell Michelangelo's "Pieta" and give the proceeds to the poor:

"This news has absolutely no foundation. Indeed, it was Paul VI who, following the exposition of the 'Pieta' in the United States, gave specific indications that Michelangelo's marble sculpture should not leave the Vatican again without special permission from the Holy Father, through the Secretariat of State."

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