GENERAL AUDIENCE: THE PROPHET'S JOY FOR THE NEW JERUSALEM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2003 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square in which 11,000 people participated, the Pope spoke about the canticle of the prophet Isaiah that is found in the third part of the book of Isaiah, which proclaims "the prophet's joy for the New Jerusalem."

In the canticle proclaimed today, the Holy Father said, Isaiah describes the "rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple" after the exile of Babylon.

"The prophet opens the canticle by describing the reborn people, wrapped in splendid clothing, as a bride and groom who are preparing for the big day of the wedding. ... The prophets use the image of the seed, in different ways, to describe the messianic king. The messiah is a fruitful seed that renews the world and the prophet specifies the profound meaning of this vitality: 'The Lord God will plant justice', so that the city will be holy like a garden of justice, that is, of fidelity and truth, of law and love."

John Paul II affirmed that the "symbolism of marriage ... is one of the most intense images that appear in the Bible to exalt the bond of intimacy and the pact of love between the Lord and the chosen people."

"The words that indicated the previous situation of abandonment and desolation, that is the devastation of the city by the Babylonians and the drama of exile," he continued, "are now replaced by words of rebirth and are terms of love, tenderness, celebration and joy."

The Pope concluded by saying that "this nuptial symbolism will be used in the New Testament and will be taken up and developed by the Fathers of the Church. St. Ambrose, for example, recalls in this way 'the bridegroom is Christ, the bride is the Church'."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Ibrahim Ibrahim of the Salvatorian Basilian Order, head of the Eparchial Commission on Ecumenism and on Inter-religious Questions, as bishop of St. Sauveur de Montreal of the Greek Melkite Catholics (Catholics 43,000, priests 15, permanent deacons 1, religious 10), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Jinsnaya, Libya in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1987.

- Accepted the resignation to the pastoral care of the diocese of Phoenix, U.S.A., of Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien, in conformity with Canon 401, para 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

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POPE GREETS STAFF OF HOSPITAL NAMED FOR HIS BROTHER

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2003 (VIS) - Following the catechesis of today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 11,000 faithful, the Pope read summaries of his talk in French, English, Spanish, German, and Portuguese. He then briefly greeted pilgrims in those languages as well as in Romanian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovakian and Polish.

In greeting Polish pilgrims, the Holy Father expressed his "special welcome to the staff of the hospital in Bielsko-Biala in which my brother worked and to which you have wished to give his name. Thank you so much for this commemoration!"

Continuing in Polish, John Paul II stated that the Canticle of Isaiah in today's catechesis "introduces us to the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, which we will celebrate tomorrow. The special presence that we feel not just in the sign of the temple, but in the sacrament of the Eucharist, constitutes the content of this solemnity. This is why we go out into the streets of the city and the countryside so that - following Christ Who is hidden in the Host - He may be glorified and thanked because He truly and uninterruptedly is present among us, Body and Blood, soul and divinity." He invited everyone, especially Romans, to participate in tomorrow evening's celebrations at the basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major.

"This coming Sunday," the Pope said in conclusion, "I will go to Bosnia-Herzegovina to confirm in the faith that Catholic community which is committed to an important path of reconciliation and harmony. I ask you to accompany me in prayer on this apostolic trip which I entrust to the maternal care of Our Lady."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, JUN 18, 2003 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Archbishop Adalbert Boros, titular of Ressiana, Romania on June 6 at age 94.

- Bishop Barthelemy Nguyen Son Lam, P.S.S., of Thanh Hoa, Vietnam on June 9 at age 74.

- Archbishop Angelo Palmas, apostolic nuncio in Italy, on June 9 at age 88.

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