This tradition of the Corpus Christi in Valais worries the army

Each year, on the day of the Corpusrication, men put on the Swiss military uniform to participate in the parade, rifle in the shoulder. But not all of them respect the law on arms. Military authorities warn.

Lea Hartmann / CH Media

It is one of the most important holidays of the Catholic Church: Corpus Christi. The “day of the Lord”, this is how we sometimes nickname this celebration which falls shortly after Pentecost. Priests, drums, women in traditional costume, fanfare musicians and children parade in colorful processions in the villages decorated with many Catholic municipalities.

Breaches of the arms regulations

But in the procession, we also notice men in uniform, assault rifle in shoulder. They shoot gunshots with the “Herrgottskanone”, the canon of Corpus Christi, in French.

In Valais, this tradition has drawn the attention of the army. Indeed, it finds more and more often offenses to the military law during the Corpusics processions and other religious celebrations. Thus, some carry a combat outfit and a weapon without authorization.

The army sermns the municipalities

According to the Walliser Botethe borough command recently sent a letter to all the municipalities in the canton. This after receiving numerous complaints from worried citizens.

In his mail, to which CH Media Has access, the army warns the municipalities, and reminds that it is the responsibility of the organizers to ensure compliance with the prescriptions. She also criticizes certain participants of the parades who do not respect the safety instructions concerning weapons:

Strict rules for weapons and uniforms

The instructions provide in particular that the weapon still remains under surveillance, that it is constantly considered to be loaded and that it is never pointed out towards a person, explains Pascal Zen-Ruffinen, who directs the Valais military service.

To carry your service weapon outside the military context, you must first require an authorization. Any other weapon is only allowed with the green light of the police. And to shoot white during parades, the police must also have given their approval.

In addition, an authorization from the cantonal military authority is required to thread the khaki outfit. A person who has never done a military service cannot put on the outfit, even for a parade.

A firecracker at the tragic outcome

Zen-Ruffinen says most of the offenses are not intentional. They are most often of ignorance of the rules in force and the fact that ancient weapons, wrongly considered to be less risky, remain weapons despite everything.

Last year, an accident showed how dangerous it can be. A 65-year-old man lost his life in the Haut-Valais village in Rarogne by lighting a firecracker cannon for Corpus Christi.

Police and the public prosecutor have opened a procedure for homicide by negligence and endangered by explosives against the members of the team responsible for firecrackers. Subsequently, the public prosecutor of the Confederation took over the file. He ranked the investigation at the start of the year. The accused would have taken all the necessary measures, which is why they cannot be criticized for an inappropriate manipulation or a violation of the duty of diligence.

This fatal accident is an isolated case. He apparently not only frightened the population, but also the authorities. In the conclusion of its letter, the army urges the municipalities to support and “apply the legislation in force”. This is so that “local traditions can persist without restrictions”. A real warning stroke.

(French adaptation: Valentine Zenker)