OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 7, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Erected the new diocese of Novo Mesto, Slovenia, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Ljubljana, making it a suffragan of the same metropolitan church. He appointed Bishop Andrej Glavan, auxiliary of Ljubljana, as first bishop of the new diocese.

 - Erected the new diocese of Celje, Slovenia, with territory taken from the diocese of Maribor. He appointed Bishop Anton Stres C.M., auxiliary of Maribor, as first bishop of the new diocese.

 - Erected the new diocese of Murska Sobota, Slovenia, with territory taken from the diocese of Maribor. He appointed Msgr. Marjan Turnsek, rector of the episcopal seminary of Maribor, as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Celje in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1981.

 - Elevated the diocese of Maribor, Slovenia, to the status of metropolitan archdiocese, assigning it the suffragan dioceses of Celje and Murska Sobota, and elevating Bishop Franc Kramberger of Maribor to the rank of metropolitan archbishop.
ECE:NER/.../...                                    VIS 20060407 (180)