Vatican seeks new papal guard
NZPA .Rome The Vatican is looking for a new bodyguard for the Pope, The unofficial vacancy has arisen since the decision to drop Archbishop Paul Marcinkus as tour organiser for the Pope’s visit to Spain, the “Sunday Telegraph" reports. Its Rome correspondent says that Archbishop Marcinkus has never objected to being tagged the Pope’s “gorilla," but his stand-in for the Spanish visit does not fit the bill. Archbishop Jose Manuel Estepa Laurens is strong, but he is short and wears thick spectacles. Archbishop Marcinkus, a 6ft 3in former American footballer, is now in the shadow’s.
As head of the Vatican bank, the Institute for Religious Works, he is embroiled in the collapse of the Banco Ambrosiano. During his ‘trips abroad, the Pope is guarded by at least six plain clothes Vatican security men. as well as local police. “But,” said a member of the Swiss Guard, “a prelate who knows a thing or two about martial arts is better — because no-one ever thinks that a man wearing clerical clothes, and standing next to the holy father can possibly be a bodyguard. “We' have got" to get a tough guy — preferably a top-ranking prelate who was a powerful sportsman in the past." ’
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Press, 4 October 1982, Page 8
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206Vatican seeks new papal guard Press, 4 October 1982, Page 8
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