30/7/18 10:30 Page 270 DIOCESE OF WILLEMSTAD Province of Port of Spain Established as a Diocese: April 28, 1958; Formerly Vicariate Apostolic of Curaçao: September 20, 1842, Comprises islands of Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, part of St Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba Page 271 THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES & ARUBA The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba consist of two groups of , about 550 or more miles apart. Curacao (190 square miles), (70 square miles), and Bonaire (110 square miles) are just off the coast of Venezuela. St. Eustatius (12 square miles), Saba (5 miles), and the southern part of St. Maarten (16 square miles), are south-east of Puerto Rico. The northern two-thirds of St. Maarten are French and administered from Guadeloupe. The total area of the Nederlands Antilles and Aruba is 393 square miles, and the estimated population 250,000. The capital of Netherlands Antilles is Willemstad on Curacao. A revision of the Netherlands Charter (December 15, 1954) raised the Netherlands Antilles to equality with the Netherlands homeland, with complete internal autonomy and a voice in the goverment of the Kingdom. On January 1, 1986, Aruba was also granted complete internal autonomy, and a voice in the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Page 272 MOST REVEREND WILLEM MICHEL ELLIS Bishop of Willemstad Residence: Arikokweg 12A, Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles Tel: (599) 9-462-3347 Office: Breedestraat 31, Otrobanda, Willemstad, Curacao, N.A. Tel: (599) 9-462-5876; Fax: (599) 9-462-7437; e-mail:
[email protected]; Cables: Bisdom Willemstad, Curacao Born: October 10, 1926; Ordained Priest: October 24, 1953; Appointed Bishop: August 7, 1973; Ordained Bishop: November 25, 1973 COAT OF ARMS On the left of the viewer there are two Greek letters, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of the alphabet, signifying Christ who is the beginning and end, under the monogram KhiRho which also represents Christ.