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Kingdom of Attica: The first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD.
"Families...are the clue, no I mean ehm...ah, glue of society; their welfare cannot be taken forever, oops...granted, there we go...but must be promoted and protected by every appropriate means...Racial and ethnic hatred, intractable conflicts and violence, contempt for human dignity and for fundamental human rights, and the growing divide between rich and poor...there we go I think I finally got this now." Pope Peter II a.k.a 'The Young Pope' was practising onboard the Papal plane one of his speeches he was supposed to deliver during his visit to Attica, one of the most important trips during his so far 5-year pontificate, due to a number of reasons including the complex and dynamic geo-politics and history involved between the Ecclesiastical State, Attica being the oldest Christian realm and a constitutent kingdom of its master, Empire of Tamora which mainly adhered to bizarre and ancient philosophical principles collectively known as Manism, as well as appropriately hosting the World Meeting of Families there.
Although he wouldn't spend more than 2 days in the Kingdom, the event itself would have already started almost 1 week ago attracting numerous pilgrims and faithful, not only contributing to the spiritual atmosphere but also filling up the well-needed cofferts considering this old Christian realm was obviously wealthier prior to the Tamoran invasion in 1958 which forcefully annexed the once proud Attica and one could say an everlasting nightmare would begin, to an extent at least. One shouldn't mistaken the Pope's intentions and agenda, as much as he found the WMF and his duties important and sacred, this turn of events acted as an valid excuse too in order to showcase his presence there which inspired Catholics all over Mundus. Besides eagerly waiting to meet the Queen, the local clergy and the faithful...he also promised to pay a visit to the Tamoran Emperor before returning back home to the ES, to safely assure the little autonomy Attica still had left, discuss the issues regarding the appointment of Bishops with or without the Emperor's consent amongst other matters.
"This is it I suppose..." Peter muttered by himself as he looked out through the window to see the hosting country below. According to the schedule of the first day, the Papal delegation would first receive a warm welcome by the Royal Attican Court under the supreme leadership of HRM the Queen as they would proceed onwards to the Palace for an private audience, before carrying out the pontifcal duties to the faithful. The Pontiff prayed for guidance and advice from the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin and the Patron Saints of Attica, as well as the continued protection that the kingdom has experienced from all harm and evil. The plane would make a smooth touchdown as it taxied its way to the greeting party and an entire army of cameras beyond the fences. Making the sign of the Cross, the Young Pope went down the red carpet and thus officially began his apostolic visit to Attica. Whatever would happen right after were up to the Divinity to decide, hopefully for the better...
The Young Pope took a deep breath as he began with the greeting formalities. "Arpine, Arpine, how great it is to finally meet you. Thank you for this great display of welcome and hospitality one could feel already. God Bless You" he began saying with some additional quick chit-chat before proceeding to do the same with the local high-standing clergy delivering kisses on the cheeks, including Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan of the Attican Catholic Church and the equally surprising yet inviting presence of the Orthodox Catholicos Karekin II. "Good to see you here as well Karekin my friend, much appreciated." Peter said embracing each other and attracting significant attention from the media and crowds who cheered even more frantically; it was iimported to display the positive dialogue between the churches and it's good PR after all.
After the kisses and embracing of one another, it was time to head for the first stop which was the Royal Palace of Alaverdi. The car which was to transport His Holiness alongside his hosts was designed in a way to make it visible from the outside so that it would be easier to see the Pontiff waving to the endless crowds of faithful and curious locals and international visitors alike, whilst the Pontifical Helvetic Guards were running alongside the convoy with every stamina they've got. The last time a Pope ever set afoot in Attica was ages ago so one could imagine the combined excitement an hope as to what the Papal visit would bring to this once proud Catholic Kingdom in southern Cotf Aranye. TYP being TYP, he couldn't simply remain in the vehicle waving nonstop and thus saw an opportunity: He managed to spot a family with an infant who happened to be dressed as him, so telling the driver, the guards and his hosts what he was about to do, the convoy stopped as a Guard ran up to them and he was given permission to hold the baby (http://images.entertainment.ie/images_content/rectangle/620x372/enhanced-22465-1443387719-1.png).
With Queen Arpine, he exited the vehicle to approach the family as people started to scream in joy. "OH MY GOD, AAAAAH!!!!" "PAPA PETRUS!" the crowd shouted and clapped their hands, some even shed a few tears, as the Holy Father blessed the baby before giving it a kiss on the forehead, returning the baby to the family and thanking them for the opportunity, shook hands and went inside the vehicle to continue the journey. Peter naturally became emotional and touched by the immense devotion and admiration the crowd displayed as they also knelt before him, carrying all kinds of holy images from the Blessed Virgin holding the infant Son of God to various saints, thanking the Lord for the Papal visit to happen; it was very clear that the Tamoran annexation made the Atticans much more open and brave to display the Catholic faith in public. The Holy Father also stopped one more time to greet a pair of nuns, overjoying them with his greeting and blessings; They'd been waiting for this moment considering this was their ultimate boss paying a visit straight from the Vatican, as they eagerly listened to his advice as to becoming a better Christian and how they could set an example to every other mortal.
The convoy finally reached their destination, however before the Queen could personally escort him to one of the Palace's meeting rooms, they had to as planned pay a visit to a special memorial which became an integral part in modern Attican history, as well as granting the Queen a fierce and loyal privilege that had long gone been absent in the Royal Court.
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Pope's Message of the Day:
"We Christians do not have a product to sell, we communicate Life."
Pope Peter II visits 'Lion Memorial' at the Royal Palace
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The Lion Monument in Alaverdi at the Royal Palace. The incised Latin may be translated as, "To the loyalty and courage of the Helveticans"
Pope Peter II once again reminded the world that the heroic sacrifice of the 898 Helvetic Guards in 1958 should never be forgotten and always be cherished. He alongside Queen Arpine of Attica and the local high-standing clergy visited the Lion Memorial Complex and held an open-air service at the Royal Palace, at which he gifted Her Majesty with a complement of Helvetic Guards to proudly serve the Attican Royal House once more.
Arriving in Alaverdi International Airport, the Holy Father alongside the Royal Household and clergy were transported directly to the Royal Palace where the initial talks between Pope Peter II and Queen Arpine Sorayan were held, prior to that though they accompanied the Press to the Lion Memorial. With their heads bowed, the Pope and the Queen laid a wreath at the memorial as they stood in silent prayer in front of an engraved stone carving of a dying Lion, made by the local artist Barkev Ghukasian in 1971, commemorating the 1958 Tamoran annexation of Attica, in which almost 900 Helvetic Guards sacrificed their lives in order to protect the Attican Royal Family, their last stand was directly beside in the Palace and the surrounding areas.
“May God protect the memory of the Helvetic Guards and what they represent. Memory should never be watered-down or forgotten. Memory is the source of peace and the future.” the Pontiff said as part of his speech, pointing out that it has nothing to do with painting a black color on the current Tamoran Empire, adding that reconciliation between the Empire's kingdoms is an important part of an everlasting peace, that even the worst pain "can become a seed of peace for the future." Alongside the gathered attendees was the surviving family of MP Johann Moltke, the last Helvetic Guard to serve for the Attican Royal House in 1958 and one of the two to survive the onslaught. Moltke later became a war hero and a Member of Parliament, serving his constitutency for almost 3 decades before passing away a week ago due to brai cancer a few days shy of his 82nd birthday.
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Portrait of Johann Moltke (1936-2018), War Hero and Member of Parliament, the last Helvetic Guard from the Attican Regiment in 1958
His Attican wife and recently widow, Adrine Moltke, also dedicated her speech to her late husband as she held his portrait, saying that "Every tenth anniversary we used to come here and commemorate his Helvetic colleagues, many of them were in their twenties and still dreaming a future of prosperous careers and gorgeous Attican women as their dedicated wives and mothers to children who were never borne in this world, as they sacrificed their lives in the name of our Lord and Saviour, to protect and safeguard the most noble of all noble Catholic families the world has ever witnessed, never relenting in faith and reason. My husband Johann never managed to embark on the 60th anniversary trip with the family this time..." she said shedding a tear before continuing. "But I'm sure he's up there at the right of our Lord looking down upon us all, urging everyone of us as always to care, cherish and love for each other until the ends of times."
It was at this moment that a large group of colourfully cladded Helvetic Guards carrying their signature Halberdiers entered the scene, kneeling in front of Queen Arpine and proclaiming their loyalty to the Attican Royal Family, the Church and God as Pope Peter II blessed them and conscecrated the authority to do so, encouraing onlookers to clap and cheer for a tradition that had been for 6 decades not present any longer, although from the looks of it due to the Holy Father's reforms, many things are about to change.
Despite the overwhelmingly positive ceremony and words exchanged, there were a few disagreements and anger from anonymous individuals who're reported to be devout conservative Manists, calling the statements “greatly unfortunate” which Tamora does not “take seriously.” “The goal is to squeeze into Tamora in the corner,” accusing Peter II of siding with leftist-liberal values. Such statement is “completely political” and dominated by the “mentality of the Crusades,” they said, adding that the statements were not “valid” as they lack objectivity of the events and that the pontiff’s interpretations of 1958 are “incompatible” with “facts” that “everyone knows, we all know, the whole world knows, Atticans know that the whole world knows.”
"Likewise Arpine, thank you for receving my presence and accepting the re-introduction of the Helvetic Guard, I'm sure they will come of great use in the future." the Pope began as she showed him where to sit in the magnificent room filled with portraits on the walls of past rulers of Attica and their family members. "I can assure you that we have all the time in the world hehe, so tell me my dear...How's Attica faring these days, how are you holding up as the first Queen of Attica?" he asked, showing an obvious concern for the young and inexperienced monarch knowing fully that the rest of her family were executed two years prior on fishy grounds, which caused great upproar in the Catholic World, especially in the Ecclesiastical State as Peter could remember, no doubt it was part of the Emperor's scheme to impose the sick and twisted Manist vaues on Attica, the last bastion of reason and sanity existed in the forsaken Empire.
Pius XII may have failed to prevent the annexation in 1958, himself failed to prevent the unjust executions of her family but surely as the heavens would allow it, he wouldn't see her head being placed on a spike on his watch and would do anything to prevent it. Naturally the talks with the Queen would be about the declining number of Catholics and Armenians (due to conversion and emigration) which could lead the Emperor to change the ruling dynasty with one of a different religion and ethnicity, the religious unrest talking place in Attica, the brain drain, preserving the rights of women while simultaneously appeasing the hardliners in Tamora and securing the future of her dynasty...and also, a Plan B in case something went wrong which could endanger her life, the Helvetic Guards playing a crucial role.
As he asked those questions, he took a sheet of paper and wrote Is this room bugged/filled with recording devices? It was paramount to know, not that he didn't trust the Queen but more about whether the Emperor liked to put extra sneaky ears on his vasall monarchs as part of his schemes.