Armed priest arrested as he tried to enter the Vatican for Pope Francis’ Regina Caeli

[Michie]

A priest armed with several weapons and dressed in a cassock tried to enter St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican to participate in the Regina Caeli prayer with Pope Francis on Sunday, May 5.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the priest, who is from the Czech Republic, tried to pass through the metal detector carrying an air pistol, two knives, a cutter, and a screwdriver.

After being arrested, the priest was reported to the authorities for illegal possession of weapons. When questioned, the priest said he carried the weapons for personal defense.

According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the priest is 59-year-old Father Milan Palkovic.

Continued below.

Armed priest arrested as he tried to enter Pope Francis’ Regina Caeli

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the priest tried to pass through the metal detector carrying an air pistol, two knives, a cutter, and a screwdriver.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[AlexB23]

A priest armed with several weapons and dressed in a cassock tried to enter St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican to participate in the Regina Caeli prayer with Pope Francis on Sunday, May 5.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the priest, who is from the Czech Republic, tried to pass through the metal detector carrying an air pistol, two knives, a cutter, and a screwdriver.

After being arrested, the priest was reported to the authorities for illegal possession of weapons. When questioned, the priest said he carried the weapons for personal defense.

According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the priest is 59-year-old Father Milan Palkovic.

Continued below.

Armed priest arrested as he tried to enter Pope Francis’ Regina Caeli

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the priest tried to pass through the metal detector carrying an air pistol, two knives, a cutter, and a screwdriver.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Seems that this violent of tendency priest was in violation of the Word of Jesus, specifically Ephesians 4:31-32 and Matthew 26:52. This was the second time in a one month period of time where weapons were attempted to be brought into the Vatican for a Papal event, as on April 10, 2024, Moises Tejada brought in three knives, and was detained (God bless the Italian police): For second time in a month, weapons detected at a papal event

Date	April 20, 2024
Verse	Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV): "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Matthew 26:52, which states "Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword."
Explanation	Ephesians 4:31-32 is a call for Christians to put away negative emotions and behaviors such as bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice, and instead be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving towards one another. This passage emphasizes the importance of love, kindness, and forgiveness in the Christian community. Matthew 26:52, on the other hand, is a command from Jesus to one of His disciples, Peter, to put away his sword after attempting to defend Jesus with violence. Jesus' message here was that violence and the use of force are not the solutions to conflicts or threats, but rather, love, peace, and forgiveness should be pursued. Both passages emphasize the importance of non-violence and forgiveness in the context of religious beliefs and communities. Cults or individuals who use tainted religious views as an excuse to commit heinous acts, such as violence, are in direct opposition to these teachings.

 

[The Liturgist]

Seems that this violent of tendency priest was in violation of the Word of Jesus, specifically Ephesians 4:31-32 and Matthew 26:52. This was the second time in a one month period of time where weapons were attempted to be brought into the Vatican for a Papal event, as on April 10, 2024, Moises Tejada brought in three knives, and was detained (God bless the Italian police): For second time in a month, weapons detected at a papal event

Date	April 20, 2024
Verse	Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV): "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Matthew 26:52, which states "Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword."
Explanation	Ephesians 4:31-32 is a call for Christians to put away negative emotions and behaviors such as bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice, and instead be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving towards one another. This passage emphasizes the importance of love, kindness, and forgiveness in the Christian community. Matthew 26:52, on the other hand, is a command from Jesus to one of His disciples, Peter, to put away his sword after attempting to defend Jesus with violence. Jesus' message here was that violence and the use of force are not the solutions to conflicts or threats, but rather, love, peace, and forgiveness should be pursued. Both passages emphasize the importance of non-violence and forgiveness in the context of religious beliefs and communities. Cults or individuals who use tainted religious views as an excuse to commit heinous acts, such as violence, are in direct opposition to these teachings.

Since the Vatican City actually has its own police force, the Gendarmerie, who have full powers of arrest and prosecution, as well as its own criminal court, and additionally the Pontifical Swiss Guards handle personal protective duties for the Pope much like the Secret service, are you sure it was the Italian police who are to be credited here?

Since in the past, when unauthorized persons have attempted to enter various episcopal meetings and conferences in the Vatican and on extraterritorial properties of the Vatican, it has usually been the Swiss guards and/or the Gendarmes who arrested them.

That said, my understanding is that the Vatican does have arrangements with the Italian government where, for example, pickpockets arrested by the Gendarmes in St. Peter’s Square (which attracts a lot of pickpockets and other petty criminals, so many in fact that the Gendarmes engage in massive law enforcement to protect the pilgrims; it is very sad but because of the problem of these parasites preying upon pilgrims and tourists (and by the way, Orthodox Christians frequently make pilgrimages to St. Peter’s and other Catholic churches in order to venerate the relics of the Apostles and other saints, and appreciate the hospitality your church offers us), there is a a need for law enforcement (specifically due to crime in St. Peter’s Square and to a much lesser extent in the publically accessible Vatican Museums and in St. Peter’s Basilica. Additionally, Italian police such as the Caribinieri and Policia di Stato do assist in patrolling St. Peter’s Square when needed. But as far as I am aware, that is the extent of their activities in the Vatican.

On the other hand, in the aftermath of the 2016 earthquake, Pope Francis sent armed Gendarmes to assist the Italian police in dealing with looters, and also sent the Vatican City Fire Brigade to assist Italian firefighters.

Of course, in those areas of the Vatican City where access is restricted to clergy and employees of the Vatican, crime is almost non-existant, although there was a case a few years back where someone was arrested and tried for corruption by the Vatican criminal court.

I can’t recall if the Gendarmes handle law enforcement at the other three Major Basilicas or the Lateran Palace, as these are considered extraterritorial posessions of the Vatican City State, or if that is delegated to the Italian authorities. But the Gendarmes are a very good, very professional law enforcement organization, and of course the Pontifical Swiss Guards are one of the best protective services (on a par with the US Secret Service and the British protective services) and among the most professional military units in the world, and they are also the oldest military unit in continual service, with the oldest uniforms.

Actually I would love to see someone post a thread about the Gendarmerie, the Vatican City Fire Brigade and the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

 

[The Liturgist]

Also by the way the Gendarmerie does have inspectors (detectives) who will probably be leading this investigation, and also assists the Swiss Guards in the Papal protective role.

 

[AlexB23]

Since the Vatican City actually has its own police force, the Gendarmerie, who have full powers of arrest and prosecution, as well as its own criminal court, and additionally the Pontifical Swiss Guards handle personal protective duties for the Pope much like the Secret service, are you sure it was the Italian police who are to be credited here?

Since in the past, when unauthorized persons have attempted to enter various episcopal meetings and conferences in the Vatican and on extraterritorial properties of the Vatican, it has usually been the Swiss guards and/or the Gendarmes who arrested them.

That said, my understanding is that the Vatican does have arrangements with the Italian government where, for example, pickpockets arrested by the Gendarmes in St. Peter’s Square (which attracts a lot of pickpockets and other petty criminals, so many in fact that the Gendarmes engage in massive law enforcement to protect the pilgrims; it is very sad but because of the problem of these parasites preying upon pilgrims and tourists (and by the way, Orthodox Christians frequently make pilgrimages to St. Peter’s and other Catholic churches in order to venerate the relics of the Apostles and other saints, and appreciate the hospitality your church offers us), there is a a need for law enforcement (specifically due to crime in St. Peter’s Square and to a much lesser extent in the publically accessible Vatican Museums and in St. Peter’s Basilica. Additionally, Italian police such as the Caribinieri and Policia di Stato do assist in patrolling St. Peter’s Square when needed. But as far as I am aware, that is the extent of their activities in the Vatican.

On the other hand, in the aftermath of the 2016 earthquake, Pope Francis sent armed Gendarmes to assist the Italian police in dealing with looters, and also sent the Vatican City Fire Brigade to assist Italian firefighters.

Of course, in those areas of the Vatican City where access is restricted to clergy and employees of the Vatican, crime is almost non-existant, although there was a case a few years back where someone was arrested and tried for corruption by the Vatican criminal court.

I can’t recall if the Gendarmes handle law enforcement at the other three Major Basilicas or the Lateran Palace, as these are considered extraterritorial posessions of the Vatican City State, or if that is delegated to the Italian authorities. But the Gendarmes are a very good, very professional law enforcement organization, and of course the Pontifical Swiss Guards are one of the best protective services (on a par with the US Secret Service and the British protective services) and among the most professional military units in the world, and they are also the oldest military unit in continual service, with the oldest uniforms.

Actually I would love to see someone post a thread about the Gendarmerie, the Vatican City Fire Brigade and the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

The article said Italian police. Just going by the article. Thanks for the information though. God bless the Gendarmerie, the Vatican City Fire Brigade, the Pontifical Swiss Guard and any other emergency services inside the Vatican for keeping the peace and safety of others.

 

[The Liturgist]

The article said Italian police. Just going by the article. Thanks for the information though. God bless the Gendarmerie, the Vatican City Fire Brigade, the Pontifical Swiss Guard and any other emergency services inside the Vatican for keeping the peace and safety of others.

Too bad it doesn’t say which Italian police… I am somewhat of a law enforcement geek, and the police forces of Italy and the Vatican are particularly interesting to me (and also those of the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, the former Soviet Union, and the smaller countries in Europe).

 

[AlexB23]

Too bad it doesn’t say which Italian police… I am somewhat of a law enforcement geek, and the police forces of Italy and the Vatican are particularly interesting to me (and also those of the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, the former Soviet Union, and the smaller countries in Europe).

Yeah, the article was not as well done as it could have been. Cool stuff, my friend. And hey, law enforcement is important to keeping our society safe, even if there may be a small percentage of law enforcement officers who may be bad apples. But that holds true for every profession.