USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Information Released to Broadcasters on Satellite Transmissions of Holy Father's Good Friday and Easter Sunday Ceremonies

Information Released to Broadcasters on Satellite Transmissions of Holy Father's Good Friday and Easter Sunday Ceremonies

WASHINGTON (March 15, 2007)—The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications has released information for broadcasters concerning the Good Friday and Easter Sunday celebrations at which the Holy Father will preside.

Friday, April 6, 2007, 19:10-20:50 UTC (GMT), Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome presided over by Pope Benedict XVI.

Sunday, April 8, 2007, 08:25-09:55 UTC (GMC), Easter Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square.

09:55-10:45 UTC (GMC), Easter Message and Blessing "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") from St. Peter's Square.

Television coverage of these ceremonies will be provided as a coproduction of the Vatican Television Center (CTV) and Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) and coordinated by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Television networks and outlets that wish to take part in these global telecasts are asked to contact:

--Europe, Eurovision-EBU (European Broadcasting Union). Contact: RAI, Eurovision Office, Mrs. Laura Maggiore, Email: newsprod@rai.it. Fax +39 06 3317 1151; Tel. + 39 06 3317 0053.

--World, INTELSAT/PanAmSat. Contact: Telespazio, Mr. Giacomo Salucci, Email: customer_support@telespazio.it. Fax + 39 06 407 1790; Tel. + 39 06 4079 3487.

--Latin America, OTI (Organizacion de la Television Iberoamericana). Contact: Mr. Dario de la Pena, Email: otiprogramas@oti.tv. Dax + 52 55 5261-3607; Tel. + 52 55 5261-3610.

Details concerning the exact satellites and frequencies will be posted on the Council's Website, www.pccs.it (click on "Mondovisione"), in addition to texts and background information for television producers and commentators. For those who cannot receive the transmissions with the above services, alternate satellite reception possibilities can be explored upon request.

The Pontifical Council will also make available, for those who request it, commentary for the celebrations in any of the following languages: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese; RAI will make available commentary in Italian. In addition to the television images, the INTELSAT and PanAmSat satellites will carry international sound and commentary in those languages.

Television networks and stations which, for technical reasons, cannot make use of satellite audio signals can use telephone circuits with the Vatican by contacting: Mr. Joseph Soureal of Telecom Italia, Email: youssef.soureal@telecomitalia.it, Fax +39 06 3689 4506; Tel. + 39 06 3689 4067.

For fully equipped positions for television commentators in the Braccio di Carlo Magno, next to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, please contact Mrs. Maggiore at RAI (as noted above).

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications will cover the technical expenses for satellite uplink. For developing countries which find themselves in particular difficulty, upon recommendation of the respective Papal Representative, the Council will cover downlink expenses, but not the expense for local/national transmission of the programs.

For more information, please visit: www.pccs.it ("Mondovisione") or contact the Pontifical Council's satellite telecasts coordinator, Mr. Thaddeus Jones (telecast@pccs.va, Fax + 39 06 6988 5373, Tel. + 39 06 6988 4622).

Archbishop John P. Foley is President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.