BERN, Switzerland (MindaNews / 31 July) – Sebastian Esai Eco Eviota, the primary full-blooded Filipino member of the 516-year outdated Pontifical Swiss Guard, efficiently accomplished his two-month coaching on the Vatican this month.
The 23-year outdated Eviota is the second Swiss Guard of Filipino descent – however the first full-blooded Filipino – to affix the elite Swiss Guard, the official armed forces of the Vatican established in 1506 throughout the reign of Pope Julius II and primarily tasked with the safety of the Popes and the apostolic palace and properties and the entrances to the Vatican metropolis. They quantity not more than 135 males.
The 516-year outdated Swiss Guard is the smallest military and one of many world’s oldest army items in steady operation. A part of their coaching consists of crowd management, VIP safety, deadly and fewer than deadly weapons employment, surveillance and plenty of techniques that the job requires
To be a Swiss guard, you have to be a Swiss citizen, Catholic and single, and have to be 19 to 30 years outdated. You should even be a member of the Swiss Army after having handed fundamental Army coaching.
Eviota was heartily welcomed to the Guard in a letter dated January 17, 2022 by Christoph Graf, the commander of the Swiss Guard primarily based on the Vatican.
However the announcement to the general public was withheld by the household in deference to the passing of his grandfather, retired Regional Trial Court docket decide Diomedes Eviota Sr. of Surigao metropolis, who had realized the excellent news earlier than he received sick every week later and handed on.
Eviota was born in Davao Metropolis in August 1998 however moved to Switzerland in 2009 collectively along with his elder sister Sophia on a household reunion visa. His father, Diomedes Eviota, Jr. is from Surigao Metropolis whereas his mom Editha Eco, who handed away in 2000, was from Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.
A second Lieutenant within the Swiss Army, Eviota served within the Infantry 13th Battalion after finishing the fundamental two-year Army course.
Nicknamed “Baste” by his household and associates, this Swiss Guard member has been a member of the Youths for Christ (YFC) Europe group since he arrived in Switzerland. He’s additionally a former council member of the English-speaking Roman Catholic Neighborhood of Canton Berne primarily based on the Bruder Klaus church in Bern.
The primary Swiss Guard of Filipino descent is the Swiss-Filipino Vincent Lüthi, who joined the Guards in October 2020. Lüthi’s father is a Swiss dwelling in canton Vaud whereas his mom hails from Cebu.
Eviota, who turns 24 subsequent month, resides on the quartier Bumpliz within the Swiss capital metropolis of Bern, the place he lives along with his father, sister Sophia and their stepmother Maria Theresa Angob.
He accomplished an apprenticeship as Resort Specialist in Bern and final labored on the grocery store chain Migros as a Buyer Service Supervisor, whereas Sophia additionally works at Migros as sous-chef.
When instructed of the excellent news earlier than leaving his put up in Bern in January 2022, then Ambassador to Switzerland Denis Yap Lepatan and his spouse Maria Teresa Lepatan, stated it’s “an important honor” to have one other Filipino from Switzerland among the many members of the Swiss Guard.” (MindaNews)
