Vatican City, May 26, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Pope John Paul appointed the former Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Francis Bernard Law, as the new Archpriest of the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Mary Major.
St. Mary the Major is one of the main four basilicas in Rome. As Archpriest, Cardinal Law (72,) who resigned to his post in December 2002, will have to move permanently to Rome, to head mainly major ceremonial events.
The US Cardinal succeeds Cardinal Carlo Furno (85,) who had recently presented his resignation.