X ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS

[Updated: 04.09.2001]

1. Topic

The Holy Father has convoked the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place in the Vatican from Sunday 30 September to Saturday 27 October 2001, on the topic:

2. Accreditation for reporters

2.1. Requests are accepted for temporary accreditation by reporters who are not permanently accredited with the Holy See Press Office and intend to cover the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

2.2. To obtain temporary accreditation it is necessary to present the following:

• Application form issued by the Holy See Press Office.

• Letter of request for temporary accreditation to the Holy See Press Office by the Management of the news organization represented, which requests accreditation to cover the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (30.09-27.10.2001) and attests that the applicant is a professional journalist; and, must agree to respect the ethical norms of the journalistic profession (ex. those concerning embargo, etc.).

• Photocopy of the valid passport or other legal identity document.

• Photocopy of press-card (for those who come from countries where this exists).

• No. 1 recent passport-size photograph in color and signed on the back (in case of consignment through e-mail: file in BMP of JPG format), for those who have not been accredited during the last two years with the Holy See Press Office.

2.3. The above-mentioned documentation is to be sent to:

Holy See Press Office
Accreditation Office
Via della Conciliazione, 54
SCV-00120 VATICAN CITY STATE

Telephone: +39-06-698.921
Telefax: +39-06-698.85178
E-mail: accreditamenti@pressva.va
[this E-mail address is reserved exclusively for sending information, photographs, etc. in electronic form regarding the accreditation procedure]

2.4. Reporters who are non-residents of Rome are asked to transmit their request through the Episcopal Conference of their country of residence.

2.5. Deadline for the presentation of applications: Monday 24 September 2001.

2.6. The Secretariat for Accreditations of the Holy See Press Office is open, Monday to Friday from 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

2.7. Incomplete applications or those that are not in conformity with the above-mentioned conditions will not be taken into consideration.

2.8. Temporary accreditation badges will be available from Thursday 27 September 2001.

2.9. All accredited journalists (reporters, still photographers and TV operators) are kindly requested to visibly wear their accreditation badge. This applies also to journalists permanently accredited with the Holy See Press Office.

3. Accreditation for still photographers and TV operators

Still photographers and TV operators are asked to address their requests to:

Pontifical Council for Social Communications
Palazzo San Carlo
SCV-00120 VATICAN CITY STATE

Telephone: +39-06-698.83197
Telefax: +39-06-698.85373
E-mail: pccs@pccs.va

4. Opening hours of the Holy See Press Office

4.1. During the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Holy See Press Office will observe the following opening hours, from 30 September to 27 October 2001:

• Monday-Friday 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. (or to 3.00 p.m. on the days in which there is no morning General Congregation or no briefing);

• Saturday 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. (or to 2.00 p.m. on the days in which there is no morning General Congregation or no briefing);

• Sunday 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

4.2. The staff of the Information and Accreditation Desk (to the right of the entrance hall) will be available:

• Monday-Friday 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.;

• Saturday 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

4.3. Notice of any changes will be communicated as soon as possible and will be posted on the bulletin board in the Journalists’ Area of the Holy See Press Office and published in this Internet page.

5. Briefings for language groups

5.1. In order to provide more accurate information on the work of the Synod, five language groups have been organised for the accredited journalists.

5.2. The location for the briefings and the name of the press attaché for each of the language groups are as follows:

• Italian language group
  Press attaché: Rev. Giorgio Costantino
  Location: Journalists’ Room, Holy See Press Office

• English language group
  Press attaché: Rev. Fr. Thomas Williams, L.C.
  Location: John Paul II Conference Hall, Holy See Press Office

• French language group
  Press attaché: Rev. Fr. Pierre Gérard, S.I.
  Location: Marconi Room, Vatican Radio, Palazzo Pio, Piazza Pia 3

• Spanish language group
  Press attaché: Mr. Jésus De Las Heras Muela
  Location: Telecommunications Room, Holy See Press Office

• German language group
  Press attaché: Msgr. Richard Mathes
  Location: Pastoral Centre for German Pilgrims, Via della Conciliazione, 51

5.3. On the days listed below, a briefing by the press attachés is scheduled at 1.10 p.m. for each language group, indicatively:

• Tuesday 2 October 2001;

• Wednesday 3 October 2001;

• Thursday 4 October 2001;

• Friday 5 October 2001;

• Saturday 6 October 2001;

• Monday 8 October 2001;

• Tuesday 9 October 2001;

• Wednesday 10 October 2001;

• Thursday 11 October 2001;

• Tuesday 16 October 2001.

5.4. On the days listed below for each language group briefing the press attachés will be accompanied by one of the Synod Fathers pertaining to the same language group at 1.10 p.m., indicatively:

• Wednesday 17 October 2001 (following the presentation of reports by the Work Groups);

• Monday 22 October 2001 (prior to drawing up the Elenchus unicus);

• Wednesday 24 October 2001 (during the preparation of the collective amendments).

5.5. Eventual updates will be published as soon as possible.

6. Press Conferences

6.1. There will be three press conferences which will take place at 12.45 p.m. in the John Paul II Conference Hall of the Holy See Press Office (with simultaneous translation in Italian, English, French, Spanish and German), and are open to accredited reporters (still photographers and TV operators are subject to the "Mari Pool" and the "CTV Pool" and have only limited access), indicatively:

• Monday 1 October 2001 (following the Relatio ante disceptationem);

• Friday 12 October 2001 (following the Relatio post disceptationem);

• Friday 26 October 2001 (following the presentation of the Elenchus finalis).

6.2. The names of the participants and any changes in the above dates and times will be communicated as early as possible through the Bulletin of the Commission for information of the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops and the Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office.

6.3. On Saturday 29 September 2001, at 11.30 a.m. in the John Paul II Conference Hall of the Holy See Press Office, His Eminence Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M., Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, will hold a briefing in order to furnish information on the significance and the course of events of the Synodal Assembly.

7. Pools

7.1. Pools of accredited journalists will have access to the Synod Hall, scheduled for the opening prayer of the morning General Congregations.

7.2. Registration lists for the pools will be made available to reporters, at the Information and Accreditation Desk of the Holy See Press Office (to the right of the entrance hall).

7.3. For the pools still photographers and TV operators are requested to apply to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (see point 3).

7.4. The participants of the pools are requested to meet at 8.30 a.m. in the Press Sector which is located outside, in front of the entrance to the Paul VI Hall. From there they will be accompanied at all times by an official of the Holy See Press Office (for reporters) and by an official of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (for still photographers and TV camera teams). Suitable dress is required.

8. Bulletin Synodus Episcoporum

8.1. The Bulletin of the Commission for information of the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, entitled Synodus Episcoporum and published by the Holy See Press Office, will be issued in 5 language editions (plurilingual, Italian, English, French and Spanish), with 2 issues each day (morning and afternoon), or according to necessity.

8.2. The morning issue will be published at the conclusion of the morning General Congregation, and the afternoon issue the following morning.

8.3. Distribution to accredited journalists will take place in the Journalists’ Room of the Holy See Press Office.

8.4. The plurilingual edition will contain summaries of the interventions by synod fathers, as prepared by themselves in their own languages. The other 4 editions will report the respective versions in Italian, English, French and Spanish.

8.5. The first two issues of the Bulletin will be published on Saturday 29 September 2001. The first issue will contain the complete and updated list of all the synod fathers and other participants. The second issue will contain the working program and general information on the synod.

8.6. The third issue of the Bulletin will contain the Holy Father’s homily for the solemn opening concelebration on the morning of Sunday 30 September 2001 (it will be available to accredited journalists when the Holy See Press Office opens, under embargo).

8.7. The fourth issue of the Bulletin will contain the reports which will be presented in the first General Congregation of the morning of Monday 1 October 2001 (which will be transmitted live on TV in the Holy See Press Office).

8.8. The language editions of the Bulletin will also be available on the Holy See Internet site [English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish].

8.9. Please note that the Bulletin of the Synod of Bishops is only a working instrument for journalistic use and that the translations from the original are not official.

9. Telecommunications

9.1. Telephone service (Telecomunications Room)

9.1.1. For local calls, booths 1-4 and 6-9 are available, free of charge.

9.1.2. Long-distance and international calls can be effected:

• with a prepaid telephone card TELECOM ITALIA (booth 10) or SCV (booth 11);

• through the "172 (Italy Direct)" service; for the countries linked with this service - payment is charged to the receiver (booths 1-4 and 6-9).

9.1.3. In addition, accredited journalists can receive telepone calls in booths 1-4 and 6-9.

9.2. Telefax service (Reception Desk)

9.2.1.The telefax service will be available at the reception desk (at the entrance, to the left).

9.2.2. The reception personnel will accept the text for transmission by "polling" (payment charged to the receiver) or in cash.

9.2.3. In the case of "polling", the accredited journalist who intends to send a telefax is asked to have the destined receiver call the telefax number of the Holy See Press Office (the reception personnel will indicate the telephone number and the hour in which the receiving end should place the call).

9.3. E-mail service (Journalists’ Room)

In the Journalists’ Room 4 PC are available with Internet connection free of charge, to send E-mail messages and to consul a personal E-mail account.

10. Telephone news-bulletin

During the period of the Synod, a telephone news-bulletin will be in operation:

• +39-06-698.19 for the ordinary daily Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office;

• +39-06-698.84051 for the Bulletin of the Synod of Bishops - morning session;

• +39-06-698.84877 for the Bulletin of the Synod of Bishops - afternoon session.

11. Photographic service

During the period of the Synod, photographic services will be furnished by:

Mr. Arturo Mari
Photographer of L’Osservatore Romano
Via del Pellegrino
SCV-00120 VATICAN CITY STATE

Telephone: +39-06-698.84797
Telefax: +39-06-698.84998
E-mail: ornet@ossrom.va

12. Video service

During the period of the Synod, video services will be furnished by:

Vatican Television Centre
Via della Posta
SCV-00120 VATICAN CITY STATE

Telephone: +39-06-698.85233/85467
Telefax: +39-06-698.85192
E-mail: ctv@ctv.va

13. Live TV coverage

The opening ceremony and concelebration of Holy Mass on Sunday 30 September 2001 and the closing ceremony and concelebration of Holy Mass on Saturday 27 October 2001, in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican (like all public celebrations presided by the Holy Father), as well as the first part of the first General Congregation on Monday 1 October 2001, will be transmitted live on the Holy See Press Office TV monitors in the Telecommunications Room, in the Journalists’ Room and in the John Paul II Conference Hall.

14. Program

14.1. The working program of the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be published in the Bulletin of the Commission for information N. 2 of 29 September 2001.

14.2. Any updates will be published as they are available.

15. Other information

15.1. The preparatory documents for the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops:

• Instrumentum laboris
  [English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

• Lineamenta
  [English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]

15.2. Other information regarding dispositions for accredited journalists will be announced as soon as possible, published in the Bulletin of the Commission for information of the X Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

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