OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 23, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Mario Ceccobelli, vicar general of the archdiocese of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, Italy, as bishop of Gubbio (area 900, population 48,000, Catholics 47,200, priests 51, permanent deacons 7, religious 107).  The bishop-elect was born in Marsciano, Italy in 1941 and was ordained a priest in 1966.  He succeeds Bishop Pietro Bottaccioli whose resignation was accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, as his special envoy for the celebrations of the 13th World Day of the Sick which will take place in Yaounde, Cameroon on February 9-11, 2005.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 23, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Hansrudolf Hoffmann, ambassador of Switzerland on his farewell visit.
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