Pope Francis returns to Rome

Vatican City, 19 January 2015 (VIS) – This morning the Pope celebrated Mass privately in the apostolic nunciature in Manila. Shortly after he transferred by Popemobile to the Villamor Air Base, greeting the faithful who lined the streets along the way. Upon arrival at the airport he was received in the presidential pavilion by Benigno Aquino III, president of the Philippines, who accompanied him on foot to the aircraft. The farewell ceremony took place beside the aeroplane, in the presence of the civil authorities and around a thousand faithful.

The papal aircraft left Manila at 10 a.m. local time and is expected to land in Rome's Ciampino airport at 5.40 p.m. The Pope will return directly to the Vatican, thus concluding his seventh international apostolic trip.

Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 19 January 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Bishop Mario Toso, S.D.B., secretary of the Pontifical Council “Justice and Peace”, as bishop of Faenza-Modigliana (area 1,044, population 140,821, Catholics 132,259, priests 92, permanent deacons 11, religious 155), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Claudio Stagni, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.

- erected the eparchy of Bahir Dar-Dessie (area 221,775, population 16,215,850, Catholics 17,544, priests 24, religious 47), Ethiopia, with territory from the metropolitan archieparchy of Addis Abeba, making it a suffragan of the same ecclesiastical circumscription. He appointed Bishop Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun, formerly auxiliary of Addis Abeba, as the first bishop of the new eparchy of Bahir Dar-Dessie, Ethiopia.

- erected the metropolitan Church “sui iuris” of Eritrea, dividing it from the metropolitan archieparchy of Addis Abeba. The seat of the new metropolitan Church is Asmara, which is elevated to the status of metropolitan archieparchy. It corresponds to the territory of Eritrea and regroups the eparchies of Asmara, Barentu, Keren and Seghenity. He appointed Bishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam, M.C.C.J., formerly eparchal bishop of Asmara, as the first metropolitan of Eritrea.