VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 013
DATE 19-01-2015

Summary:
- Pope Francis returns to Rome
- Other Pontifical Acts

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 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.

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 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.

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