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Skriven 2005-11-23 06:33:14 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.
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                               VIS-Press releases

SWISS GUARD TO CELEBRATE ITS 500TH ANNIVERSARY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2005 (VIS) - In the Holy See Press Office today, a
conference was held to present the calendar of commemorative events for the
fifth centenary of the foundation of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the world's
oldest active military corps. Participating in the press conference were
Colonel Elmar Th. Mader, commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and Pier Paolo
Francini, head of the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Governorate of
Vatican City.

Colonel Mader, briefly summarizing the history of the founding of the Swiss
Guard, recalled that Pope Julius II (1503-1513) had wanted a troop of guards
both for his own personal protection and as the permanent nucleus of a larger
army to be formed in case of need. He decided on Switzerland because of the
history of the country, the large number of infantrymen available and, above
all, the great respect for the Church that characterized the Swiss Cantons. In
1505, with the Bull "Confoederatis Superioris Alemanniae," the Pope ordered the
prelate of the papal court Peter von Hertenstein to recruit 200 Swiss soldiers
and lead them to Rome under the command of Captain Kasper von Silenen. The
guard, with 150 members, crossed the Alps and the Italian regions of Lombardy
and Tuscany, arriving in Rome on January 22, 1506.

"For the occasion of the fifth centenary of Julius II's Bull," Colonel Mader
went on, "the Holy Father wrote a letter to the president of the Swiss
Episcopal Conference and to all the Swiss Guards, both those still in service
and those who have been discharged. In his Message, the Holy Father recalls the
founding of the Guard, their heroic sacrifice during the sack of Rome (1527)
and his gratitude for their centuries-long faithfulness to the pontiff."

All the celebrations "must take into account the fact that former Swiss Guards
still feel bound to the corps," said Clonel Mader. And "celebrations must
include our own homeland as well as Italy, the Vatican and the city of Rome."

Colonel Mader went on to give details of the celebrations for the fifth
centenary, which will begin on January 21, 2006, with a gala reception,
followed the next day by Mass in the Sistine Chapel presided by the Cardinal
Secretary of State. A guard of honor in St. Peter's Square for the Angelus
prayer and the papal blessing will recall the historic arrival of the first
guards.

On March 29, 2006, an exhibition entitled "The Pontifical Swiss Guard, 500
years of history, art and life," will be inaugurated in the Charlemagne Wing at
the left colonnade of St. Peter's Square. The exhibition will concentrate on
the different aspects of the Swiss Guard, both from a historical perspective
and as regards its current activities.

On April 7, 2006, around 100 former Swiss Guards will begin a commemorative
march from Bellinzona in the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The march will cover
various stages and, largely following the old pilgrim route known as the Via
Francigena, will reach Rome on May 4. On that day, as 500 years before, the
former Swiss Guards will cross the city of Rome where they will be welcomed by
the local authorities, then proceed to St. Peter's Square, where they will
receive the Holy Father's blessing.

May 6, 2006, the main day of the fifth centenary celebrations, will begin with
a commemorative Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. A wreath of flowers will then be
laid in the Square of Roman Protomartyrs inside the Vatican to recall the Swiss
Guards who fell during the sack of Rome in 1527. At 4.30 p.m., the annual
swearing-in ceremony for new recruits will take place; for the first time in
history it will be held in St. Peter's Square, rather than in the San Damaso
courtyard where it normally takes place. In the evening, a firework display
over Castel Sant'Angelo will conclude the day.

The May celebrations also include three concerts, all in the Paul VI Hall. On
May 3, the Swiss Army Concert Band will perform a selection of popular music.
On May 4, the united choirs of the Olten Cantonal School together with the
Swiss Army Concert Band will perform the oratorio "Nicholas de Flue," by the
Swiss composer Arthur Honegger with words by Denis de Rougement. On May 5, the
choir and orchestra of the Collegium Musicum of Lucerne, with soloists from the
Higher School of Music, also of Lucerne, the choir of Freiburg Cathedral and
the Vokalensemble of the Swiss Canton of Schwyz will perform the "Carmen
Saeculare" by Fr. Theo Flury O.S.B.

The Swiss Army Concert Band will also play a concert of music on Sunday May 7,
following the Angelus in St. Peter's Square.

For his part, Pier Paolo Francini outlined details of an issue of Vatican
stamps dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the foundation of the Pontifical
Swiss Guard.

It is the first time, he said, "that a series of stamps has been jointly issued
by Switzerland and Vatican City." The stamps have been designed by the Swiss
artist Rudolf Mirer, himself a former Swiss Guard.

The head of the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Governorate of Vatican
City also announced the coining of a commemorative two-euro coin, scheduled to
be released during the first six months of 2006 and dedicated to the Pontifical
Swiss Guard on the fifth centenary of its foundation.

Colonel Mader pointed out that the Swiss Confederation has issued a gold coin
to commemorate the anniversary, also designed by Rudolf Mirer. Two further
coins will be minted for the occasion of the commemorative march: one in gold
with the image of Pope Julius II and another in silver, portraying Pope
Benedict XVI. Furthermore, he concluded, an official medal of the Holy See will
also be produced and awarded to current members of the Swiss Guard.
.../SWISS GUARD/MADER VIS 051122 (980)

SUMMARY

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