CARDINAL CHELI CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF EPISCOPAL ORDINATION

VATICAN CITY, SEP 27, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from Pope John Paul to Cardinal Giovanni Cheli on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his episcopal ordination on September 17. The Message was written in Latin and dated August 27. Cardinal Cheli will be 85 years old on October 4.

Born in Turin, Italy, he was ordained a priest in 1942 for the diocese of Asti. He has served the Church in many capacities, including being a chaplain to youth in Catholic Action. He served in the Holy See's diplomatic corps in nunciatures in Guatemala, Spain and Italy and in 1973 was appointed to the Holy See's Observer Mission at the United Nations. He became the first apostolic nuncio to the U.N. in September 1978, the year of his episcopal ordination.

The president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, he was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul on February 21, 1998. His titular Church is Sts. Cosmas and Damian whose feast was celebrated yesterday.

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