The 59-year-old priest, identified as Father Milan Palkovic, was found carrying an air pistol, two knives, a cutter and a screwdriver.

The weapons were identified during a routine screening by the metal detectors. St Peter's Square visitors must pass through the detectors before entering the square.

Palkovic claimed the items were for personal defence and belonged to another man accompanying him, who was also detained.

Both men, part of a group of pilgrims from the Czech Republic, denied any criminal intent and stated they came on a pilgrimage.

Authorities confiscated the weapons and initiated an investigation into the incident.

The priest faces charges of illegal possession of weapons. However, neither he nor the other man has prior criminal records.

Second weapons-related incident

The occurrence was the second weapons-related incident in less than a month at a papal event.

The Regina Caeli event follows a recent incident where a man on New York's "most wanted" list was apprehended in St Peter's Square in the possession of knives, apparently with the intention of attending the pope's general audience.

In that incident, Moises Tejada claimed to have arrived from Moldova after being involved in conflicts in Ukraine.

St Peter's Square was crowded with pilgrims and tourists as Pope Francis held a general audience on 10 April. It was not clear if Tejada, who has convictions for robbery and kidnapping, posed any threat to the pope.

Tejada is currently detained in Italy and awaiting an extradition request from the United States.

In his address, Pope Francis renewed his gratitude to the Swiss Guard for its presence in the Vatican which he said "stands out for its quality, for its kind, attentive, scrupulous style" and for its service, which is always "generous and diligent".

The Vatican has yet to comment on the incidents.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

Crux

Vatican News

Reuters

CathNews New Zealand

According to the Vatican press office, the driver sped into the area on Thursday evening, and Vatican gendarmes fired one shot at the car's front tires.

The car made it to the San Damaso Courtyard of the Apostolic Palace before the driver fled from the car and was quickly taken into custody.

The driver, about 40 years old, was in a "serious state of psychophysical alteration" and was being held in the Vatican barracks.

It's unclear where Pope Francis was when it happened around 8 pm at the Santa Anna gate - a main entrance to the Vatican City State.

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On September 27, the Pope celebrated Mass for the Vatican's security personnel.

In addition to the more colourful Swiss Guard, the Vatican's other security body is its own police force, the gendarme corps.

The corps of about 130 men is responsible for papal security, crowd control in St Peter's Square and safety, law and order within the Vatican.

In his homily, the Pope said a good guardian, like the archangel, "has the courage to get rid of demons" and has the intelligence to be able to pick them out from the crowd.

He said he knows their job is to be like sentinels, keeping watch and guarding entrances, "doors and windows so no bombs get in".

But, "I want to tell you something a bit sad; there are bombs in here" and it doesn't matter if it's "a homemade bomb or an atomic bomb", every single one is "dangerous" and "there are many".

"The worst bomb inside the Vatican is gossip", which "threatens the life of the Church and the life of [the Vatican] every day", he said, because it "sows destruction" and "destroys the lives of others".

While there are many religious and laypeople in the Vatican who are "sowing good seed", the devil is still getting his way by using others "to sow weeds".

Even the Pope is not immune to this temptation, Francis said; it's a danger "for me, too", because "the devil gives you that yearning".

So in addition to looking for the usual security threats, the Pope told the security force to also crack down on backstabbing and courageously call people out.

Stop them in their tracks and say, "Please sir, please ma'am, please father, please sister, please your Excellency, please your Eminence, please Holy Father, don't gossip; that's not allowed here", the Pope said.

Whatever gripes or problems people have, they should take them directly to the people involved without also complaining to the world, he said.

Source

• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: CBC