Latest news with #SwissGuard
Euronews
08-07-2025
- Euronews
Follow Pope Leo to this lakeside retreat just 45 minutes from Rome
The town of Castel Gandolfo sits high on the edge of a volcanic crater lake just 25 kilometres from Rome. Its villas, palaces and grand churches are a testament to its long-standing use as a summer retreat for the popes of the Catholic Church. While Pope Francis stayed away during his 12-year pontificate, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV has revived the tradition, arriving in the town this week to start a six-week holiday. Visitors to Rome can follow in his footsteps to find cooler climes, monumental architecture and stunning lake scenery. See inside the popes' summer residence The area around Lake Albano has been a favourite getaway for Roman rulers since the time of the Emperor Domitian in the first century. In the 17th century, it became the favoured summer retreat of the Vatican leaders. Pope Urban VIII built the papal palace in Castel Gandolfo in 1624, and it was enlarged over succeeding pontificates to its present size of 55 hectares - bigger than Vatican City itself. Past popes used it regularly in summer, drawing huge crowds of pilgrims who would come on Sundays to hear his noon blessing delivered in the inner courtyard of the palace. When Pope Francis decided to remain in Rome in the summer, the town suffered an initial economic hit from the decision. But then the pontiff turned the papal palace and gardens into a year-round museum, open to the public, which now brings a steady flow of tourists to Castel Gandolfo. Inside, visitors can walk through various chambers, including a courtroom, a room for the Swiss Guard and the throne room, all housing artworks and ornate furniture. On the grounds are a working farm, manicured gardens, an observatory run by Jesuit astronomers and, more recently, an environmental educational centre inspired by Francis' 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si (Praised Be). Churches, coffee stops and lake views: What to do in Castel Gandolfo There is plenty to do in Castel Gandolfo beyond visiting the papal residence. It has been voted one of Italy's 'most beautiful villages', so even just strolling through the steep streets is a pleasure. With its lofty hillside position, the town also affords splendid views over the cobalt waters of Lake Albano. The papal palace is located on Piazza della Libertà, Castel Gandolfo's main square. Here, you can visit the Church of San Tommaso da Villanova, designed by the great Roman baroque architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Stop for coffee in the bars around the square and take a moment to write a postcard so that you can send it from what is thought to be the world's first postbox, a brass slot on the wall of the town hall. To cool off, head down to the road that runs along the lake. You'll find restaurants and bars on one side and beach clubs on the other. You can also rent a bike to explore more of the surrounding area or rent a boat or a kayak on the lake. Trains to Castel Gandolfo run almost every hour from Roma Termini station on the Castelli Romani line and take around 45 minutes.
Arabian Post
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Arabian Post
The Western Nations Are Concerned About A Shia Nuke
By Nantoo Banerjee It may be wrong to believe that Israel and the United States of America are the only two countries strongly against Iran's bid to become a nuclear-armed country. The entire world is concerned about nuclear proliferation and nuclear smuggling and its falling into the wrong hands. The nature of the Iranian regime has added to the concern. It is probably the only major country in the world run directly under a spiritual leader. This may be the cause of worries for many. The Vatican City state of Rome, a Papal Kingdom, retains only a small ceremonial unit of the Swiss Guard as its defence force, which also serves as the Pope's personal body guard. The Pope generally preaches love, compassion and world peace. Iran is ruled by the supreme Shia spiritual cleric, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, championing the cause of Shia supremacy. Shiite Iran is believed to be aspiring to build a nuclear arsenal ever since Sunni Islamic faction led Pakistan became a nuclear-armed state. Iran is an Islamic republic with a strong theocratic system and a great influencer of Shiite states and Shiites across the world. In contrast, the present Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, considered to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought and jurisprudence, is not known to be a political person. Although only three countries across the Muslim world, comprising 57 states (members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation), have a majority Shia population, the community has significant presence in several other Muslim countries mostly led by the rival Sunni faction. The Shia-Sunni rivalry makes Iran's ambition to emerge as a nuclear-armed state a major geopolitical concern, especially in West and Central Asia as also in South and South-East Asia and European countries with a good Muslim population. The three Shia majority countries are: Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan. Significant Shia communities also live in Bahrain, Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent. Sunni community-led Pakistan's nuclear arsenal has always been a major concern of western democracies as well as India. The late Abdul Qadeer Khan, the 'father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb,' was known for his involvement in smuggling of nuclear technology. He had officially admitted that he was running a nuclear proliferation network. He was initially placed under house arrest in 2004 after admitting to selling nuclear technology to Iran, Libya, and North Korea. A Q Khan was subsequently released in 2009. Most of the existing nuclear states fear that Iran might share nuclear weapons and technology with other countries or non-state actors, including terrorist groups, leading to wider proliferation. The nature of Iran's government headed by the supreme Shia spiritual leader and its ambition to emerge as a major nuclear power are what the non-Islamic world are mostly concerned about. The tiny Jewish state of Israel is highly worried as 'annihilation' of Israel is said to be the primary agenda of the supreme Iranian clergy. The western world is concerned as Iran's devastating weapons such as long-range missiles and drones are in the hands of a spiritual cleric. Iran is believed to have the largest and most diverse ballistic missile stockpile in West Asia. Iran is displaying its military strike capabilities as the country's spiritual head and supreme leader vowed to open 'the gates of hell'. Through the best part of last week, waves of Iranian missile and drone barrages had been lighting up the skies across the tiny Jewish state of Israel which is only 1.33 percent geographical size of Iran. Israel's total population is around 9.8 million as against Iran's 87 million. Under Iran's supreme spiritual leader, the country has been developing sophisticated long-range missiles for decades. From the very beginning, the oil-rich 'spiritual fiefdom' wanted to be a strong military power and be seen as the biggest strength of the global Shia community, constituting nearly 15 percent of the global Muslim population of 2.047 billion as estimated by Islam is the world's second-largest religion in terms of adherents. The Muslim population has been growing faster than the overall world population, with a 21 percent increase in the number of Muslims between 2010 and 2020, compared to a 10 percent increase for the rest of the world. Today, Iran possesses a very large number of short-range rockets and potential hypersonic weapons, most of which are locally produced with the blessings of the Ayatollah. Estimates from the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence suggest that Iran possesses around 3,000 ballistic missiles, a figure that surpasses any other regional power, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. They include missiles of various ranges and types, contributing to Iran's significant military might in the region. Iran has also emerged as a major manufacturer-exporter of highly sophisticated drones. Last year, the Ukraine government claimed that Russia launched over 8,000 Iran-developed drones during the war. Iran is recognized for its advancements in drone technology, particularly in areas like combat drones and loitering munitions (suicide drones). Iran has been exporting drone technology to various countries, including Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine, and has supplied drones to regional allies and militias. To the credit of the country's spiritual leadership, Iran has developed a massive drone industry. It has been relying on indigenous production helped by international sanctions. Iran's drone industry has focused on local engineering and manufacturing. It has been producing drones like the Ababil, Mohajer, and Shahed series, including the Shahed-136 (also known as Geran-2 in Russia) and the newer Shahed 238. Iran's Kaman-22 drone resembles the US MQ-9 Reaper. Iranian drones are reshaping the dynamics of conflicts, particularly in West Asia and in the Russia-Ukraine war context. With Pakistan boasting the Sunni nuke, Iran's development of Shia nuke arsenal could be only a matter of time. The US-led western world and the Jewish state of Israel are most unlikely to be able to halt the process. In a normal situation, the western world and even Israel, the world's eighth largest nuclear power, would not have been so hyper about Iran's nuclear ambition if its purpose were purely in self-defence. However, under the supreme spiritual leader Ayatollah, Iran is often seen as a 'rogue state' by many Western countries, particularly the US, largely due to Iran's challenging of the US-led world order and its support for groups that oppose American interests in the West Asian region. Iran is known to actively support groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, which are considered terrorist organizations by the US and its allies. Oil-rich Iran turning to be a major nuclear armed state is seen as a major threat to the existing balance of power. The control of the state machinery in the hands of a supreme spiritual leader adds to the cause of worry. (IPA Service)
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All the Clues & Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed in the Destination X Premiere
Do you have what it takes to suss out Destination X? In the premiere episode of Destination X, hosted by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, 10 players were tasked with sussing out where the X they were based on a series of hints and challenges — but it's not as simple as it seems. In this bold new travel competition series from NBC, Europe is turned into a real-life gameboard as complete strangers are invited to participate in the trip of a lifetime and the ultimate geo-guessing contest. These adventurous players will traverse Europe in a blacked-out Destination X bus to figure out where the "X" they are each week. In each episode, the players disembark the bus to visit unique and unfamiliar tourist attractions that have been gamified into experiential challenges. They'll rely on their knowledge of pop culture, history, geography, and observational skills to win clues to their current location and earn an all-important advantage. Contestants must tap into their own personal expertise, identify hidden clues that are disguised as artifacts, and discern intentional misdirects from competitors to ultimately determine their whereabouts. RELATED: Read on to learn more about the premiere episode's location, and the many hints and Easter eggs the players saw (or didn't) along the way. The player clues were the most obvious, but there were a lot of them, so let's do a full rundown before we get to the more advanced ones: Mack and Ally were gifted a brief look outside the bus at the Roman ruins at Volterra, an arena that resembled the Colosseum in miniature. While racing through the cobblestone streets of Orvieto, Italy, Mack and Biggy solved a series of riddles, which involved Pinocchio, Olives, and Roman Numerals, all of which could have clued them in on their general locale in Italy. While Mack and Biggy were busy at street-level in Orvieto, their teams were deep in St. Patrick's Well, sussing out riddles that freed their above-ground counterparts from their black-out goggles. The two riddles the teams had to figure out led them to coins depicting Romeo & Juliet (get it? ROME-eo...? Yeah, you get it. Not to mention that the classic Shakespearean tale takes place in Italy) and Wine (a major export of Italy). RELATED: Throughout their challenge, Mack and Biggy earned more coins every time they figured out a riddle first. Mack killed it, earning four gold coins that had images of Ninja Turtle Weapons (all four of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are named after Italian artists: Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo), "1492" with an Outline of Christopher Colombus (Christopher Colombus was Italian, and sailed to the Americas in 1492), Thumbs Up/Down (a hint to the famous scene in Gladiator, in which Joaquin Phoenix's ruthless Roman Emperor Commodus determined gladiators' fates with a thumbs up or thumbs down in the Colosseum), and Swords Crossed with Swiss Cheese (a hint at the Swiss Guard, who protect the Pope in Vatican City, which is located within Rome). Meanwhile, Biggy managed to get just one coin, which showed Ballet Slippers (ballet originated in the courts of Italy). Our host Jeffrey provided the audience with a big clue at the end of the episode's second challenge, saying in his voiceover: "The ancient hilltop town of Orvieto, to be exact, renowned for its stunning cathedral, rich olive oil, and of course, St Patrick's Well, built in the 1500s by Pope Clement VII, who fled to Orvieto from a city 90 miles away, a city which also happens to be our first Destination X." Pope Clement VII fled from Rome to Orvieto in the 1500s. Related: Find Out More About Destination X Host Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Many Meaningful Tattoos Hidden among all the sweeping visuals of rolling hillsides and extravagant architecture were images of Vespas (famous Italian scooters; plus, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck famously rode one during Roman Holiday) and Vineyards & Cyprus Trees (landscape-based hints at the Italian countryside). By episode's end, several players had correctly guessed that the challenges and clues had all hinted at one final location: Rome, Italy — specifically, the famous Roman Colosseum. However, Josh Martinez placed his X in the Map Room in Milan, resulting in his excommunication from Destination X. "Destination X, you got me!" Josh said in his final moments. "Wildest, craziest game I've ever played. This bus was insanity." New episodes of Destination X premiere on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, and are available to stream the next day on Peacock.
Euronews
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
'Never give in to mediocrity,' Pope Leo XIV tells the press
There's only a handful of situations where journalists, usually guided by strict rules of the trade, act like anyone else. Meeting the new pope for the first time at the Vatican City's modernist Paul VI Audience Hall became one of those events. Prior to Pope Leo XIV's entrance on Monday morning, the crowd representing the world press — filling out about half of the 6,000-seat aula — was restless in anticipation, dropping all pretence there was in the audience for any other presser. Some were busy tying flags of their nations to the safety railings — a couple of Peru ones, where the pontiff lived and ministered for decades, notably peppered the hall — while others impatiently lifted their phones to record the scene, just to give up moments later as nothing was happening, bar a few priests casually strolling across the immense podium. Several people brought babies, one of whom cried impatiently, picking up on the atmosphere. Then the pontiff appeared, stage right, flanked by members of the Swiss Guard in full regalia, and the crowd rose to its feet and erupted in a long applause. As he sat down, motioning to the audience to do the same, one section started applauding even more fervently. Everyone joined in once more. Someone shouted 'Viva papa,' triggering loud replies of 'Viva'. It was an entrance worthy of God's representative on Earth. 'Good morning, and thank you for this wonderful reception,' Pope Leo XIV began, seemingly surprised at the long, thunderous applause. 'They say when they clap at the beginning, it doesn't matter much.' 'If you're still awake at the end and you still want to applaud, thank you very much,' he quipped in English, before switching to fluent Italian. It didn't take the pontiff long to show he was not there to mince words, however. While he was cordial, the first impression was that he wanted to show he was a staunch champion of 'dignity, justice, and the right to be informed'. Free speech and free press are a 'precious gift,' he said, especially for us 'living in times that are both difficult to navigate and to recount'. And "we are the times," Pope Leo XIV added, quoting St Augustine, from whose order he hails. Interrupted by applause, Pope Leo XIV pressed on with what felt like a proper pep talk. 'Never give in to mediocrity,' he said. Journalistic work was 'a challenge we shouldn't run away from,' he urged. Be responsible with AI, he insisted. He spoke up for imprisoned journalists, much to the approval of those present. But mostly it was his insistence on truth instead of partisan divisions that rang out the loudest in today's world, judging by another thunderous applause. "The way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say 'no' to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war," the pontiff emphasised. The pontiff finished his speech with a short prayer, blessing the journalists instead of opening the floor to questions. The faithful among the press made the sign of the cross, an "amen" echoing as the pontiff proceeded to greet those present in the front rows. Pope Leo XIV walked down the central aisle to shake hands with others, followed by dozens, if not hundreds, of cameras — an exit as impactful as his entrance just half an hour earlier. Was it a sermon? Maybe in part. Others would more likely liken it to the appearance of a rock star. But the pope's debut address to the press mostly showcased why the former Cardinal Robert Prevost was so quickly elected by his peers — and by the Holy Spirit, or acclamation, as the rite says. His words made the journalists in the room feel like their job was more important than his, as the leader of the Church counting 1.3 billion Catholic faithful, ever will be.
New York Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Pope Leo XIV heads the Catholic church from Vatican City — where a secret tennis court awaits
ROME — When in Rome, head to the corner of the Via Leone IV and the Viale Vaticano and turn west for about 50 yards along the latter, to where the line starts to build for entry to the Vatican Museum. Crane your neck up to the top of the 39-foot-high Vatican City wall, and there it is — one of the few things besides trees and buildings that peek above the fortifications to be visible from street level. Advertisement A high, netted fence juts above the wall, stretching a few meters across. It would not deter anyone who had just overcome 12 meters of vertical brickwork, but it is not there to protect the Pope, the Cardinals, the Swiss Guard and Vatican staff. It is there for the benefit of the people walking below: to stop a bad shank, an over-enthusiastic lob or a spiked smash sending a tennis ball plummeting to earth and onto the heads of passing pedestrians. That fence encircles the campo centrale of the Catholic church: the Vatican City tennis court — now under the dominion of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, or rather Pope Leo XIV. After white smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on May 8, the new leader of the Roman Catholic church was beamed onto the stadia at Rome's Foro Italico, where the crowds at the Italian Open turned their attention from the tennis to cheer. Then the questions rolled in. Can Pope Leo XIV unite the progressive and conservative wings of the church and its 1.3 billion souls? Can the first pontiff from the United States manage the baggage that comes with hailing from the Western superpower? And does this guy need tickets for the Italian Open finals next weekend, just shy of two miles north of his new domain? To the extent that he had much of a reputation outside of those in the know at the Vatican and his coterie of longtime friends in Chicago and at Villanova University, Penn., Pope Leo XIV had already told the world that tennis is his sport. 'I consider myself quite the amateur tennis player,' the future Pope Leo said in an interview with the website of the Augustinian Order in 2023, when his predecessor, Pope Francis, gave him his red Cardinal's hat on his arrival in Rome. (No, not the St. Louis Cardinals. When it comes to baseball, Pope Leo is a Chicago White Sox fan, meaning temperance and perseverance in adversity are in his wheelhouse.) Advertisement 'Since leaving Peru (where he worked for the previous nine years), I have had few occasions to practice, so I am looking forward to getting back on the court,' he said. At first, he appeared to have said that he was a Carlos Alcaraz fan, which might have perturbed the local denizens of his new home given Jannik Sinner's standing as Italy's sporting pontiff. They need not worry: the claim was fake. Unknown to some longtime close Vatican watchers, devout Catholics, and even several of the higher-ups at Italy's tennis federation, the FITP, there has long been what satellite images show is a lovely red court, tucked into the northern corner of the Vatican City. A security worker on duty outside the museum the morning of May 8 said most people don't know about it because it's not easy to find. People either know it's there, across the road from the building that surrounds the Cortile Ottagono courtyard, or they don't. The gardens and area around the tennis court have been closed to the public since April 28 for the conclave to choose a new Pope. Having a hit was not high on the Cardinals' priority list. A tennis court may not figure highly in Vatican City apocrypha, but what information it has preserved paints a portrait of what was once a lively tennis scene, with Cardinals competing in a tournament that also included members of the Swiss Guard and was eventually opened up to Vatican employees and their children. On May 9, a spokesperson for the Swiss Guard, Cpl. Cinotti Eliah, wrote that as far as he knew, none of the guards now play tennis, which may be both good and bad news for Pope Leo. It could create an easier path to victory in any tournament he might organize, though perhaps it will be a little harder to find a quality young partner to join him in a last-minute hit. Advertisement Any laity who faced the Pope on court would face several moral dilemmas. Is it cool to hit a winner past him if he comes to the net? Tagging the leader of the Holy See during a net duel also sounds like a one-way ticket to excommunication. Messages that included questions about the tennis court sent to the communications office of the Holy See were not returned. The golden era of Vatican tennis was the late 1970s, after the court was renovated. Even the Cardinals got caught up in that first tennis boom of the modern era, according to archival research from the Pontifical Council for the Laity. A 'Tournament of Friendship' began in 1978. Giovanni Battista Re, who would become the Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, took the title. At the time, he was a priest who worked for the Secretariat of State, which performs the political and diplomatic functions for the Pope. In the final, Battista Re topped Roberto Tucci, an Italian Jesuit and the director general of Vatican Radio. He became a Cardinal, too. There was a third-place match. Peter Hasler, a Swiss Guard, beat Faustino Sainz Munoz of Spain, who became an archbishop. Priestly tennis benevolence proved their undoing. They stopped winning when they opened up the tournament to the employees of the Holy See's Property Administration, and then children of employees — a bad idea for older guys interested in winning championships. Eventually, participation waned and the tournament ended, before Vatican Museum employees started it again in 2008. Pope Leo won't have to work hard to find support among the sport's current pros if he wants to make tennis a bigger part of his reign. Iga Świątek said in a news conference that she would love to spend some time in St. Peter's Square waiting for the white smoke to emerge from the Sistine Chapel if she could work it out in her schedule. Emma Raducanu predicted a long conclave Wednesday night, a call which did not age well — Pope Leo was elected after a little more than 24 hours. Advertisement Madison Keys said Thursday night that her good friend Desirae Krawczyk, a doubles player, had hustled down to St. Peter's Square to join the excitement. All of it has made this opening week one that the Italian Open will never forget, especially come the announcement of his election appearing on stadium screens during matches Thursday evening. Turns out that was fitting. All these years later, Robert Francis Prevost finally made it in pro tennis. (Top photos: Andrej Isakovic, Alberto Pizzoli / Getty Images; Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Graphic: John Bradford / The Athletic)
