Archbishop Eterović presents 262 participants and the procedure of the work of the Assembly
Record numbers at the Synod
to launch the new evangelization
Record attendance at the Synod: 262 is the highest number of participants in
the history of all the Assemblies, nine more than the last Ordinary Assembly
which took place in
2008.
About to “begin the great adventure of the Synod” are more than 400 people
including technical personnel, assistants, translators and the press. According
to Archbishop Nikola Eterović, General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, “the
increase in the number of participants acknowledges the commitment of all those
who contribute to the mission of the new evangelization for the transmission of
the Christian faith”. In order to outline the profile of the Assembly, the
prelate met with journalists for a briefing in the Holy See Press Office on
Friday morning, 5 October. Presenting the Synodal Fathers, the General Secretary
noted that 103 are from Europe, 63 from the Americas, 50 from Africa, 39 from
Asia and 7 from Oceania.
During the briefing, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See Press Office, noted that there are 69 Council Fathers still living and at least “a dozen will be present at the Mass on 11 October in St Peter's Square for the opening of the Year of Faith”. In addition, “on Friday morning, 12 October, the Council Fathers will concelebrate Mass at the Tomb of St Peter”, he explained. Then at 12:30 p.m. they will have an audience with the Pope. Some, he stated, will not be able to be present for reasons of age (the three eldest are 102 years-old) and of health”. At the moment, the Director of the Holy See Press Office confirmed the presence of 12 Council Fathers: Cardinal Francis Arinze, Cardinal Serafim Fernandes de Araújo, Archbishop Hilarion Capucci, Bishop José Mauro Ramalho de Alarcón Santiago, Bishop Yves-Georges-René Ramousse, Bishop Georges-Hilarie Dupont, Bishop Felice Leonardo, Bishop Luigi Bettazzi, Bishop José de Jesús Sahagún de la Parra, Bishop Robert-Casimir Tonyui Messan Dosseh-Anyron, Bishop William John McNaughton and Bishop Roberto Cáceres.
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