Yesterday, the Holy Father addressed the Corps of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. This morning, in the courtyard in the Swiss district of Vatican City, a ceremony for the conferral of honours upon members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard was held. Present for this ceremony was the Substitute of the Secretary of State, His Excellency, Giovanni Angelo Becciu.
Mister Commander,
Your Excellency, Chaplain of the Swiss Guard,
Distinguished civil, military and religious authorities,
Dear friends of the Swiss Guard,
Dear Guards,
Today in the Apostolic Palace - in the home of the Pope - there is an air of celebration. The sounds of voices and of music, the colours of banners and flags, the presence of so many guests indicates this is a moment of special importance. Every year, on the day of May 6, there is a traditional appointment held in the life and the activity of the Holy See: the Festival of the Corps of the Pontifical Swiss Guard is celebrated on the anniversary of the sacrifice of 147 halberdiers who in 1527, did not hesitate to sacrifice their own lives in defence of Pope Clement VII during the sack of Rome.
On this solemn occasion, I wish to offer to all of those present, my most cordial greetings, beginning with the new guards who today will officially pronounce their solemn oaths. Five hundred and eight years have now passed since the foundation of this meritorious Corps of Guards, and the fact that young men from Switzerland still continue to place themselves in service to the Pope deserves our fervent prayers of thanksgiving to God.
On April 27 of this year, Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were proclaimed saints. In your prayer, dear young guards, remember with affection and devotion these new Pontifical saints, and ask them to help you to accomplish your tasks to the best of your abilities. They, who were extremely devoted to the Virgin Mary, in their turn will guide you to Her, the Mother of Christ and our Mother. We are in the month of May, the month of Mary, and therefore from the very beginning, your service is placed under the special protection of Mary, Most Holy.
On this particularly solemn day, I am happy to confer honours upon some of the members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. These distinctions conferred upon a few, constitute the gift of the Holy Father, a sign of His appreciation and of His encouragement offered to the entire Corps. Therefore, in the name of Pope Francis, I renew to each and every one of you the expression of his most cordial gratitude for the work that you accomplish in the territory of the Vatican.
Illustrious guests, dear friends, I hope that you will live this day with serenity. At the base of everything else, there is a sense of faith and of love for the Church and for her universal Pastor, and at the same time this profound spiritual motivation is proven even more true and strong in the familial spirit that unites us. In this same spirit, I wish to renew my greetings to all those who are dear to you, those who are present and those who could not come to Rome, as well as to those who are sick and elderly. Upon all of you, I willingly invoke the blessings of the Lord.
Greetings spoken by His Excellency, Giovanni Angelo Becciu
Substitute of the Secretariat of State
at the ceremony for the conferral of honours
upon members of the Swiss Guard
Mister Commander,
Your Excellency, Chaplain of the Swiss Guard,
Distinguished civil, military and religious authorities,
Dear friends of the Swiss Guard,
Dear Guards,
Today in the Apostolic Palace - in the home of the Pope - there is an air of celebration. The sounds of voices and of music, the colours of banners and flags, the presence of so many guests indicates this is a moment of special importance. Every year, on the day of May 6, there is a traditional appointment held in the life and the activity of the Holy See: the Festival of the Corps of the Pontifical Swiss Guard is celebrated on the anniversary of the sacrifice of 147 halberdiers who in 1527, did not hesitate to sacrifice their own lives in defence of Pope Clement VII during the sack of Rome.
On this solemn occasion, I wish to offer to all of those present, my most cordial greetings, beginning with the new guards who today will officially pronounce their solemn oaths. Five hundred and eight years have now passed since the foundation of this meritorious Corps of Guards, and the fact that young men from Switzerland still continue to place themselves in service to the Pope deserves our fervent prayers of thanksgiving to God.
On April 27 of this year, Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II were proclaimed saints. In your prayer, dear young guards, remember with affection and devotion these new Pontifical saints, and ask them to help you to accomplish your tasks to the best of your abilities. They, who were extremely devoted to the Virgin Mary, in their turn will guide you to Her, the Mother of Christ and our Mother. We are in the month of May, the month of Mary, and therefore from the very beginning, your service is placed under the special protection of Mary, Most Holy.
On this particularly solemn day, I am happy to confer honours upon some of the members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. These distinctions conferred upon a few, constitute the gift of the Holy Father, a sign of His appreciation and of His encouragement offered to the entire Corps. Therefore, in the name of Pope Francis, I renew to each and every one of you the expression of his most cordial gratitude for the work that you accomplish in the territory of the Vatican.
Illustrious guests, dear friends, I hope that you will live this day with serenity. At the base of everything else, there is a sense of faith and of love for the Church and for her universal Pastor, and at the same time this profound spiritual motivation is proven even more true and strong in the familial spirit that unites us. In this same spirit, I wish to renew my greetings to all those who are dear to you, those who are present and those who could not come to Rome, as well as to those who are sick and elderly. Upon all of you, I willingly invoke the blessings of the Lord.
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