POPE’S SWISS GUARD

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28008, 30 June 1956, Page 11

POPE’S SWISS GUARD

Tiny Army Is 100 Strong FORMATION 450 YEARS AGO [By JOHN SHAW] ROME. June 24. The strangest army in the world received a batch of new recruits this month. Fifteen young men arrived in Rome to join the Swiss Guard. They will never fire a shot, never go on manoeuvres, will attend a church' parade every day. pay for their own ' food, and have only three drill sessions a week. They will have every third afternoon off. obey commands given in a foreign language, wear a uniform that was designed 400 years ago. and never serve more than a few hundred yards, from their barracks. The recruits will serve under a commanding officer who is a baron, eat food cooked by monks., mail their letters at a special post office, and once a year—each May 6—celebrate their own feast day. The Swiss Guard—the Pope's traditional bodyguard—was formed 450 years ago by Papal treaties with the* cantons of Lucerne and Zurich, which undertook to send 250 men to guard the Popes in Rome from then on. Today there are still 100 Swiss volunteers under half a dozen officers

serving rope uius ah in Vatican eiiy —and their duties have changed from keeping an armed watch over the Pontiff and his city to providing ceremonial escorts and doormen at Vatican City gates. Once the Swiss Guard fought and died to protect Popes against attacks by anti-Papal revolutionaries and invading armies. Now their eight-foot steel halberds and rifles are kept for tradition's sake only to record the exploits of earlier guards who died defending the Popes. In their most famous feat of arms scores of Swiss Guards died defending Pope Clement VII in 1526 and 1527 against the mercenaries of the Emperor Charles V when they invaded Rome. Clement VII took refuge in the ancient Castle of San Angelo as his bodyguard died on the bridge over the Tiber leading to the castle gates. The modern Swiss Guard will never have to fire the rifles kept oiled and polished in the armoury. Or wield their swords and halberds, except in ceremonies. One sword kept in their barracks is too heavy for the modern recruit to lift —let alone fight with. Their forebears must have been mighty men. Their peaked steel helmets and heavy suits of armour will never have to withstand a sword thrust or bullet—they are for spit-and-polish only these days. Today the guards are merely the most colourful spectacle in Rome, the target for tourists' cameras, and a splendid echo of the past as they parade for the great religious ceremonies in the Basilica of St. Peter's and the historic chambers of Vatican

In their blue. red. and orange doublets and pantaloons, which were designed by Michelangelo, and take two days and 120 pieces of fine felt cloth to make, the Guards are a brave sight against the sombre walls of Vatican City. Swiss families consider it a high honour to have a son in Rome in the service of the Pope, and there is never a lack of volunteers. Their letters of application stream into the Vatican City office of the Guard's Commander.' Baron Pfyffer von Alftshofen. from mountain villages and lakeside cities. The Guards are selected on a basis of family background, character, intelligence. and physical fitness. But there is no ’ ‘ Old-School-Tie" prejudice in this strange regiment. A doctor's son from Lausanne's upper crust has only the same chance of selection as a farmer's boy from some remote canton. Two Years’ Service The pink-cheeked young men who arrived in Rome recently volunteered to serve the Pope for two years. After that they can leave or re-engage. Thv. will be paid £stg2s a month, with free uniform and lodging, in their high-windowed Vatican City barracks. But they have to pay for their food, prepared in modern stainless steel kitchens by “working" monks of various Orders. The new squad come to attention on the command "Achtung!"—because traditionally orders arc given in German, or the Swiss-German dialect called Schwitze--Deutsch. because the original Guards came from Germanspeaking cantons, as most do today. Many of them can speak French and Italian also. The Guard get no home leave during their two years in Rome. The postmark of the Vatican City's post-office goes oi. their letters home. They have every third afternoon free, but they

must be back within the high walls by il p.m. if they take an evening on to call at the local cinema, the Castelk Theatre, just along the Tiber's bank frot i St. Peter's Souare. Each year, on May 6. the Pop< honours and thanks the Guard by receiving them in a private audience after they have paraded, drums anc fifes playing, banners flying, to cele brate their special feast day. The Guards attend the Pope a I audience, at services in St. Peter's, anc at his summer residence at Castel aandolfo. a hill village 20 miles fron Pome. They also do sentry duty oi the two main gates of Vatican Citj ; nd at the bronze doors of St. Peter' - —traditional entrance for the thou ■ sands of pilgrims each year.—Associ ■ ated Newspapers Feature Services.