CARDINAL BERTONE DEPARTS FOR ARMENIA

VATICAN CITY, 4 MAR 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today announced that Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., departed this morning for Armenia where he will today begin his planned visit, though with some variations to the programme. As previously announced, his scheduled visit to Azerbaijan is confirmed.
OP/TRIP ARMENIA AZERBAIJAN/BERTONE            VIS 20080304 (60)

SAN LORENZO INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CENTRE MARKS 25 YEARS

VATICAN CITY, 4 MAR 2008 (VIS) - On the morning of Sunday 9 March, the Pope will celebrate the Eucharist in the Roman church of San Lorenzo in Piscibus. The church is part of the San Lorenzo International Youth Centre which is located very near St. Peter's Square. The centre is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

  The San Lorenzo International Youth Centre was inaugurated by John Paul II on 13 March 1983. During a Eucharistic celebration held that day, the then Pope expressed the hope that the centre may become "a forge for the formation of authentic young Christians who are capable of bearing coherent witness to the Gospel in today's world".

  According to a press communique released this morning, the "house for young people", supported by the Pontifical Council for the Laity and located next to the Holy See, is "a place of welcome, prayer, formation and encounter for young people from all over the world who are in Rome on pilgrimage". It is also "the site where the World Youth Day cross is kept".

  The Eucharistic celebration presided by Benedict XVI will inaugurate a series of initiatives planned to mark the 25th anniversary. Because the church is so small, the celebration will only be attended by the young people from various countries who work in the centre, and by a number of guests.

  On Thursday 13 March, another Eucharistic celebration will be held, this time presided by Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. It will be followed by a prayer vigil and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, due to last until midnight.

  On Friday 14 March, another vigil will take place, organised by the community of Taize and presided by Frere Alois, prior of the community. On Saturday 15 March  a meeting of reflection and witness will be held on the theme of "the history and mission of the San Lorenzo International Centre" to be attended by Cardinal Rylko and by Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the Pontifical council "Cor Unum", who promoted the foundation of the centre 25 years ago.

  The events will come to an end on Palm Sunday 16 March with the Mass presided by the Pope in St. Peter's Square.

  The San Lorenzo International Youth Centre, which welcomes all young people, remains open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Mass is celebrated every evening, followed by Eucharistic adoration.
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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, 4 MAR 2008 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

 - Bishop Nicola Agnozzi O.F.M. Conv., emeritus of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, Italy, on 17 February at the age of 96.

- Archbishop Emilio Benavent Escuin, military ordinary emeritus of Spain, on 4 January at the age of 93.

- Bishop Paul Michael Boyle C.P., emeritus of Mandeville, Jamaica, on 10 January at the age of 81.

- Bishop Paul-Louis Carriere, emeritus of Laval, France, on 20 February at the age of 99.

- Bishop Ramon Daumal Serra, former auxiliary of Barcelona, Spain, on 10 February at the age of 95.

- Archbishop Vincenzo Maria Farano, emeritus of Gaeta, Italy, on 17 January at the age of 86.

- Bishop Jose Higinio Gomez Gonzalez O.F.M., emeritus of Lugo, Spain, on 8 January at the age of 75.

- Bishop Daniel Anthony Hart, emeritus of Norwich, U.S.A., on 14 January at the age of 80.

- Bishop Sebastian Krauter, emeritus of Timisoara, Romania, on 29 January at the age of 85.

- Bishop Paulino Fernandes Madeca, emeritus of Cabinda, Angola, on 9 January at the age of 80.

- Bishop Darius Nggawa S.V.D., emeritus of Larantuka, Indonesia, on 8 January at the age of 78.

- Archbishop Marijan Oblak, emeritus of Zadar, Croatia, on 15 February at the age of 88.

- Bishop Candido Padin O.S.B., emeritus of Bauru, Brazil, on 25 January at the age of 92.

- Archbishop Franc Perko, emeritus of Beograd, Serbia, on 20 February at the age of 78.

- Archbishop Oskar Saier, emeritus of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, on 3 January at the age of 75.

- Bishop Vittorio Tomassetti, emeritus of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola, Italy, on 6 January at the age of 77.

- Archbishop Elias Zoghbi, emeritus of Baalbek of the Greek Melkites, Lebanon, on 17 January at the age of 95.
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