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Kevrekidis β Guardia Svizzera
Published: 2010-03-03 12:29:02 +0000 UTC; Views: 3025; Favourites: 47; Downloads: 0
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Description
Vatican City, Rome β Italy.The Papal Swiss Guard (Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) was founded in 1506. It is today largely ceremonial but they are a fully operational modern military force. The Papal Swiss Guard tradition has been marching on for 500 years, making it the oldest continually active military corps in history. While the Swiss Guard has many ceremonial responsibilities, their ultimate job is to keep the pope out of harm's way, even if that means taking a bullet for him. When Julius II founded the Guard back in the 16th century, defending the pope wasn't such a safe job. In 1527, most of the Swiss forces were killed during the sack of Rome.
Β© 2010 Jordan Kevrekidis
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Comments: 38
Nice picture. I think I'm going to get one of those outfits. It's very flattering
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An Excelent photo! :3 And I knew the information you put in the description, a perfect resumen of a horrible situation.
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Muchas gracias Paulina!
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He, you're welcome! Is a nice detail to write that in spanish :3
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Gotta love those uniforms, too. It was Julius II who first hired these guys? From what I've read, Julius probably had good reason for wanting an entire army as a bodyguard, since he'd been busy starting wars all over Europe.
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There are many dark pages in the history of Vatican and the Pope!
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Julius II happens to have been Pope during part of the time period covered by my novel. He and his Medici successor have come up quite a bit in my research.
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impressive! right guard on the right place... think so ... ...
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I know I might be irritant, but the Vatican City is not in Italy, it's an independent State where Italy has no power at all. ^^'
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In fact, Vatican is inside Rome and Rome is part of Italy, but just like Vatican is not part of Italy, it is not part of Rome either. It's like when someone goes in a country, you can't say he's from that country just because he is there, you have to watch his passport, I think.
(I'm annoying, I suppose... XD)
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Dear AndrΓ©, believe me I know the status of the Vatican and the βHoly Seeββ¦
I just have to give a geographical location of the image especially for the group Photo-Europe [link]
So, the sovereign state of the Vatican is located in Rome, Italyβ¦
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very historical picture and full of theological hints...
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Love this kind of clothes, very picturesque
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gorgeous view! love their traditional clothes
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Thank you Katerina!!!
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