Vatican City, 15 April 2016 – The Holy Father has:

- given his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the Patriarchal Church of Antioch of the Syrians of Chorbishop Philippe Barakat as archbishop of the archieparchy of Homs, Hama, Nabk (Catholics 13,000, priests 17, permanent deacons 3, religious 7), Syria. The bishop-elect was born in Zeidal-Homs, Syria in 1952 and was ordained a priest in 1976. He holds a degree in theology from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik in Lebanon, and has served in a number of roles including parish priest, bursar and protosyncellus. He is currently patriarchal administrator of the archieparchy.

- appointed Cardinal George Alencherry, major archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, as member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

- appointed Stefano Picchiotti as Head of the Office of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See. Picchiotti is currently study assistant of the same administration.