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TIRANA, Albania, DEC. 4, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See and Albania signed an agreement concerning, in part, the fiscal status of Catholic Church organizations in the country.

The agreement, signed Monday in the office of the Albanian minister of finance in Tirana, comes after the accord between the two countries concluded in 2002.

The current agreement, reported the Vatican, "creates a juridical framework for the fiscal treatment of ecclesiastical institutions recognized as nonprofit juridical entities. In particular, it regulates the fiscal status of Catholic Church organizations in Albania, the economic administration of such structures and the contributory-insurance scheme for the non-Albanian religious and lay personnel who serve in them."

Archbishop Giovanni Bulaitis, apostolic nuncio in Tirana, signed the agreement for the Holy See. Ridvan Bode, Albania's finance minister, signed the agreement for his country.

ZE07120403 - 2007-12-04

Catholic World News

Forum 18 News

04 December 2022

Joachim and Anna Rejoice

Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed, * for God has heard Joachim and Anna * and He promises manifestly that they, against all hope, would give birth to the Maiden of God * from whom the Uncircumscribed One Himself would be born, becoming man, * and he commanded the Angels to cry out to her: * “Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!” (Troparion - Tone 4)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Today the whole world celebrates * the conception of Anne which was brought about by God, * for she gave birth to the one who, beyond understanding, * gave birth to the Word. (Kontakion - Tone 4)

Saint Nicholas of Myra

The truth of your deeds has revealed you to your flock, * as a rule of faith, an image of meekness, and a teacher of abstinence. * Therefore, you attained the heights through humility, * and riches through poverty. * O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, * pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved. (Troparion, Tone 4)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

In Myra, You were shown to be a servant of the sacred things, O Holy Nicholas, * for, fulfilling the Gospel of Christ, you, O Venerable, laid down your life for your people, * and saved the innocent from death. * Therefore, you were sanctified as a great initiate of the grace of God. (Kontakion, Tone 3)