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Skriven 2006-05-10 06:58:44 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

POPE THANKS SWISS GUARD FOR THEIR PRICELESS CONTRIBUTION

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Benedict XVI appeared at
the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet and
bless participants in a commemorative march organized by the Pontifical Swiss
Guard to mark the fifth centenary of their foundation by Pope Julius II in
1506.

The former Swiss Guards participating in the march left Bellinzona, capital of
the Swiss Canton of Ticino, on April 7 and covered 720 kilometers on foot to
reach Rome, retracing the path followed by their predecessors five centuries
ago along the old pilgrim route known as the Via Francigena.

Once in Rome, the former Swiss Guards crossed the city, stopping in the Piazza
del Popolo where they were welcomed by the local authorities. There Pius
Segmuller, former commander of the Guard and leader of the march, consigned the
flag to Elmar Theodor Mader, the current commander. Then, preceded by a guard
of honor and the band of the Swiss Guards, the former Guards moved to St.
Peter's Square where they were welcomed by representatives from the Italian
armed forces and by forest rangers who had accompanied them during their
commemorative march.

Benedict XVI greeted the Guards in German, French and Italian, briefly
recalling the itinerary followed both by the participants in the commemorative
march and by the first "Gwardiknechte" (the name given to these soldiers during
the Renaissance).

"To greet you," said the Pope, "is the successor of Julius II, whose name is
forever linked to the Pontifical Swiss Guard. ... I congratulate you for this
wonderful initiative which reminds us of the valor of those 150 Swiss citizens
who, with great generosity, defended even unto death the person of the reigning
pontiff, writing with their sacrifice an important page in the history of the
Church."

"Considering these five centuries," he went on, "we give thanks to God for the
good your predecessors have done, and for the priceless contribution the Swiss
Guard continues to make to the Holy See in our own time."
AC/SWISS GUARDS/... VIS 060505 (350)

SUMMARY

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