On 2 September 2003 Vatican Radio will celebrate 55 years of
Latvian programmes, the first of which was produced and presented
by Father Pavils Becs, SJ.
An active Member and founder of the EBU, Vatican Radio was
inaugurated on 12 February 1931 by Pius XI.
Established in an era that was partially dominated by communism,
Vatican Radio can be compared to "American Voice" and "Radio Free
Europe".
Its Latvian programmes became an important source of information
originating from free countries and the Catholic Church to
Christians in Soviet-occupied Latvia.
Vatican Radio broadcasts in 40 languages, nearly 480 hours a
week and employes 400 people from 59 countries. All of this is
managed by the Society of Jesus headed by Father Pascal Borgomeo,
SJ.
Vatican Radio's Latvian programmes can be heard on the internet
site of Latvian Christian Radio www.lkr.lv every day at 10:10 or
on www.radiovaticana.org/demand.htm.
For further information:
Sister Silvija Krivteza, Head of Vatican Radio Latvian
Programme
tel.+00 39 06 69 88 46 61
latvia@vatiradio.va
