Swiss Guard carries Olympic flame for papal blessing

Published: 2005-12-08

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Instead of wearing his yellow, blue and red Swiss Guard uniform, 24-year-old Anton Kappler sported a yellow, orange and white tracksuit and running shoes to carry the Olympic flame to St. Peter's Square for a papal blessing. Standing on a two-tiered podium together with another torch-bearing Vatican security guard, Kappler held the flame aloft during the pope's Dec. 8 Angelus prayer and blessing. "I am happy to bless the Olympic flame that today will go from Rome along its route to Turin, site of the next Winter Olympic Games," Pope Benedict XVI said. From the window of his papal apartment, Pope Benedict waved to the crowds in the square below and asked that the Olympic flame "remind everyone of the values of peace and brotherhood that lie at the foundation of the Olympics." The flame, which arrived in Rome from Athens, Greece, Dec. 7, was to be carried by 10,001 torchbearers across Italy and neighboring countries on a 7,020-mile, 64-day relay.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .