VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 009
DATE 15-01-2015

Summary:
- Pope Francis arrives in Manila
- Accord between the Holy See and Serbia
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 Pope Francis arrives in Manila
 Vatican City, 15 January 2015 (VIS) - Early this morning the Holy Father
travelled by car from the apostolic nunciature of Colombo to the airport,
where he departed for Manila, capital of the Philippines. During the journey
he stopped to visit the Benedict XVI Cultural Institute where he was received
by Fr. Mahamale Quintus Fernando, rector of the Institute, and two hundred
workers who had collaborated in building the centre in 2011. He then visited
the "Our Lady of Lanka" Chapel, where he was awaited by ten Jesuit fathers
belonging to the Community linked to the Institute, a choir and a group of
fishermen from the area.
 The Chapel of "Our Lady of Lanka" dates from 1911 and was initially dedicated
to Our Lady of Lourdes. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Cardinal
Jean-Marie Masson, O.M.I., archbishop of Colombo, made a vow to the Virgin: if
the country was spared the horrors of war, he would build a shrine where the
chapel stood, dedicated to "Our Lady of Lanka". The works were completed in
1974 and it was consecrated in February of the same year, with the status of
Minor Basilica granted by Pope Paul VI. The Benedict XVI Cultural Institute
was opened in 2011 upon the initiative of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, archbishop
of Colombo, to facilitate collaboration with the authorities and other
agencies in rebuilding the nation following thirty years of civil war.
 Pope Francis then resumed his journey to the airport, where Maithripala
Sirisena, president of the Republic, various representatives of the civil
authorities and a group of faithful bade him farewell.
 At 9 a.m. local time the aircraft carrying the Pope departed from Colombo for
the Filipino capital. After a flight of six and a quarter hours, he arrived at
the Villamor Air Base in Manila where he was received by representatives of
the religious and civil authorities, including the apostolic nuncio Archbishop
Giuseppe Pinto and the president of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III.
 Two children offered flowers to the Pope as he disembarked, around one
hundred adolescents sang "Welcome Pope Francis", and a large group of smaller
children dressed in white and yellow performed a lively dance. The Holy Father
left the air base in an open Popemobile to travel the nine kilometres
separating the base from the apostolic nunciature of Manila, during which he
greeted the many faithful who awaited him. Upon arrival at the apostolic
nunciature, he dined in private and rested.

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 Accord between the Holy See and Serbia
 Vatican City, 15 January 2015 (VIS) - On 12 January 2015, by mutual consent,
the Framework Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Serbia on
collaboration in higher education came into force. The Agreement, signed on 27
June 2014, confirms the principles and defines the measures to be taken by
both Parties within the field of higher education.

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 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, (VIS) - The Holy Father has:
 - given his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the
Chaldean Church of Rev. Basel Yaldo as auxiliary of the Patriarchate of
Babylon of the Chaldeans. The bishop-elect was born in Telkaif, Iraq in 1970
and was ordained a priest in 2002. He studied theology at the Pontifical
Urbanian University and holds a master's degree in dogmatic theology and a
doctorate from the same University. He has served in a number of roles,
including vice-rector of the major seminary of the Chaldeans in Baghdad,
lecturer in dogmatic theology at the Babel College, deputy priest of the
Church of the Sacred Heart in Baghdad, and special secretary to the late
Patriarch Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly. He is currently priest of the St.
George Chaldean Catholic Church in Michigan, U.S.A.
 - appointed Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona as bishop of the Chaldean eparchy of
St. Thomas the Apostle in Sydney, Australia. Formerly Chaldean archbishop of
Mossul, Iraq, he retains the dignity of archbishop and succeeds Msgr. Djibrail
Kassab, whose resignation was accepted.
 - appointed Chorbishop Emmanuel Challita as bishop of the Chaldean eparchy of
Mar Addai in Toronto, Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Fishkabour-Zakho,
Iraq in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in biblical
theology from the Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome, and has served in a
number of pastoral roles, including deputy priest of the St. Joseph's parish,
Troy, Michigan, U.S.A. He is currently priest of St. George's parish in
Township, Michigan, U.S.A.

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