Wollongong's Bishop Peter Ingham will tomorrow bless a new icon of Mary MacKillop at the diocese's St Francis Xavier Cathedral, as preparations continue in Rome for the canonisation ceremony. The Mary MacKillop icon was designed and produced by Finnish born artist Marice Sariola, who migrated to Australia from Sweden and now lives and works in Perth, Western Australia.
Marice's works are hanging in private homes, churches and other public buildings on all continents said a statement from the diocese.
Meanwhile, Australia's senior representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are expecting 8000 Australians will head to the Vatican for the October 17 ceremony in St Peter's Square, said an AAP report in the Sydney Morning Herald.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is putting (in) place a range of services to provide advice to Australians who are travelling to Rome for the ceremony," DFAT said in a statement on Friday.
Australia's Ambassador to the Vatican, Tim Fischer, is jumping into social media to help.
Mr Fischer will be issuing daily tweets with advice for those heading to the Holy See. He can be followed on Twitter at MacKillop2010AU.
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