Slogan and Logo of Pope’s Trip to Sarajevo Presented

Vatican City, 26 March 2015 (VIS) – This coming 6 June, Pope Francis will visit Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The slogan of the visit will be “Peace Be With You” and the logo is a dove with an olive branch. Concretely, the dove with olive branch, symbol of peace, is flanking a cross, part of which is a stylized triangle symbolizing the country’s borders, with the colors of white, blue, yellow, and red representing both the country’s flag as well as the presence of Croats in the nation. It is the design of artists Miroslav Setka and Dragan Ivankovic.

At the presentation, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Sarajevo, explained that the slogan and logo were inspired by the Pope’s words “when he announced that the purpose of his visit would promote the peace process in Bosnia. Moreover, ‘Peace Be With You’ is the expression with which Jesus greeted the disciples when He appeared to them after the Resurrection. The times we live in,” the cardinal said, “are times of uncertainty regarding the future and that is why everyone in this country, especially we Catholics, needs this encouragement.”

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Open to 150 Homeless Visitors

Vatican City, 26 March 2015 (VIS) – One hundred and fifty homeless persons, generally found around St. Peter’s Square and Bernini’s Colonnade, will be guided around the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel in an initiative undertaken by Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, almoner of the Office of Papal Charities.

The guests, divided into three groups, each with their own guides, will visit part of the Vatican City State, including the Domus Sanctae Marthae, St. Peter’s Basilica, the palace of the Mint, the gardens, and the Gate of St. Gregory. On arriving at the museums they will visit the Carriage Pavillion, the Galleries of the Chandeliers and Maps, and the Sistine Chapel. After the visit, the group will eat at the restaurant in the Vatican Museums.

Carmelite Communities around the World Pray for Peace

Vatican City, 26 March 2015 (VIS) – Carmelite communities around the world today-26 March, the fifth centenary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila, foundress of the Discalced Carmelite Order-are celebrating in the way deemed most appropriate and suitable, with a day of prayer for peace.

“Prayer for peace,” the Carmelite Vicar General, Fr. Emilio Martinez said, “is a gift that we offer to St. Teresa and what better than to do what she asked of us, which is to keep the concerns of the world at heart.”

During the prayer, the communities will especially keep in mind persecuted Christians and countries at war, praying for the cessation of all public and domestic violence. The organizers of the day of prayer ask that each house and convent join the initiative and light a candle. Participation on social networks can be marked #Prayday.

Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 26 March 2015 (VIS) – Today the Holy Father:

- erected the eparchy of St. John Chrysostom of Gurgaon of the Syro-Malankars, India, appointing Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas Aerath, OIC, as its first eparchal bishop. Bishop Aerath was previously apostolic visitor for the Syro-Malankars extra-territorial missions in India. The new eparchy extends along the northern part of India, covering 22 of the 29 states. The district’s southern boundary is made up of the four central states of: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa. In addition to these four states, the faithful are distributed throughout Punjab, Rajashtan, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The eparchy is headquarted in Gurgaon because that metropolitan area has the largest concentration of faithful in the nine parishes covered. The region has two colleges and ten schools administrated by the Syro-Malankar church. It has 15 priests, both regular and eparchal, and 30 religious carrying out its pastoral, educational, and charitable work.

- erected the apostolic exarchate of St. Ephrem of Khadki of the Syro-Malankars, India, appointing Bishop Thomas Mar Anthonios Valiyavilayil as its first exarch. Bishop Valiyavilayil was previously curial bishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India. The new exarchate extends along the southern part of India, which previously did not have any ecclesial district of the Syro-Malankar church, and includes the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana together with parts of the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The extra-territorial mission of the Syro-Malankar church began in Poona in 1955 with the pastoral care of emigrants by Bethany Ashram, OIC. Today, the Syro-Malankar presence in the exarchate’s region includes 27 parishes and missions. There are 21 priests dedicated to pastoral care, 13 convents, and a dozen schools including a college of higher learning. The majority of the faithful are located around Mumbai and Poona, in the western state of Maharashtra.