The program of events scheduled in the Vatican to mark the 25th anniversary 
of Pope John Paul II's election to the papacy includes a four-day meeting 
of the 164 members of the College of Cardinals, Mass on the day of the 
anniversary and a concert in the Pope's honor.

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15, the College of Cardinals will gather
in the New Synod Hall for a four-day meeting, during which six cardinals
will reflect on themes of great importance to the Church. Cardinal Bernardin
Gantin, former dean of the College, will speak on "The Petrine Ministry and
Communion in the Episcopacy"; Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger on "Priests, the
Consecrated Life and Vocations"; Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo on the
family; Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir on ecumenism; Cardinal Ivan Dias on
missions and Cardinal Angelo Sodano on "The 25 years of Pontificate in
Service to Peace."

The cardinals, who where invited by the Holy Father to Rome for this
anniversary, will be joined by the presidents of episcopal conferences, the
heads of dicastery of the Roman Curia and by patriarchs.

Pope John Paul will not be present at the opening session but he will
attend on the morning of October 16, the 25th anniversary of his election in
1978, during which he will sign the post-synodal apostolic exhortation for
the 2001 synod held on the theme of the episcopal ministry. He will do so in
the Clementine Hall. At 6 p.m. that same day there will be a Mass in St.
Peter's Square to commemorate this jubilee.

On Friday, October 17, the College of Cardinals will meet again. At 6 p.m.
in honor of John Paul II, there will be a concert in the Paul VI Hall
offered by the choir and orchestra of Leipzig who will perform Beethoven's
Ninth Symphony and Bruckner's "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus."

The Pope will address the meeting of the cardinals during their final
session on Saturday, October 18. His talk will follow the presentation of a
Message to him from the entire College of Cardinals. At 1 p.m. The Holy
Father has invited the cardinals, heads of dicastery, episcopal conference
presidents and patriarchs to lunch. At 5:30 there will be a missionary vigil
in the Paul VI Hall, though the Poe is not scheduled to be present.

At 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, October 19, World Mission
Sunday, Pope John Paul will preside at Mass during which he will beatify
Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

ends
30 September 2003