Inside The World’s Oldest Army: The Swiss Guard’s Centuries-Old Tradition Of Protecting The Pope‌

While the Secret Service protects the U.S. president, the Swiss Guard protects the pope.

So who are these men who march around St. Peter’s Square, donning multi-colored uniforms designed during the Middle Ages?

It all dates back to the late 1400s when guardsmen began serving the Papal States. In 1505, the Swiss bishop Matthaus Schiner, who later became a cardinal, proposed to Pope Julius II the creation of a permanent Swiss contingent that would operate under the pope’s direct control.

On Jan. 22, 1506, the first contingent of 150 Swiss guardsmen — led by Capt. Kaspar von Silenen — arrived in Rome.

These soldiers quickly earned a reputation for their bravery. During the Sack of Rome in 1527, only 42 of the pope’s 189 guardsmen died defending Pope Clement VII.

Centuries later, the Swiss Guards prepared for a similar occurrence during World War II when they took up a defensive posture as the Germans marched into Rome. In the end, Adolf Hitler chose not to attack the Vatican.

Thirty-four new guards were sworn in this past May, ahead of what will be a busy year for the Vatican.

“We’ll be getting back to pre-COVID levels. It’s a breath of oxygen that will enable us to face the Jubilee more comfortably,” said Corp. Eliah Cinotti, a Swiss Guard spokesman.

Religion Unplugged got a sneak peek this week at the Swiss Guard’s barracks, near the entrance of Porta Sant’Anna, where there was a training session and weapons room. Here’s everything you need to know about the world’s smallest army that defends the pope and guards Vatican City:

Recruits must be unmarried Swiss citizens who are Catholic males between the ages of 19 and 30. They must also have completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces.

If accepted, new guards are sworn in every year on May 6, the anniversary of the Sack of Rome, in a pomp-filled ceremony. In all, there are 135 members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. In 2018, Pope Francis boosted the army’s number from 110 to 135 following a series of terror attacks in Europe.

They remain one of the oldest military units that have been in continuous operation. 

The dress uniform is blue, red, orange, and yellow—a color scheme and design that give it a distinctly Renaissance look. With their armor, feathered helmets, ruffled collars, and puffy shirts, the uniforms are very ceremonial and distinct from those of any other military unit.

The Swiss Guard is equipped with both traditional ceremonial weapons and modern firearms. Since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, a much stronger emphasis has been placed on the Swiss Guard’s nonceremonial functions.

The uniform’s famous colors—blue, red, and yellow—are the traditional colors of the Medici family, an Italian bourgeois family that ruled Florence from 1434 to 1737.

The Swiss Guard is only tasked with policing Vatican City. The areas outside the Vatican’s walls are the purview of the Italian authorities.

The only place that both the Vatican and Italy patrol is St. Peter’s Square. When the pope addresses crowds in the square, the Swiss Guard is responsible for that territory. At other times, the Italian police guard the area.

Some Swiss Guardsmen travel abroad with the pontiff during papal trips.

 Produced in association with Religion Unplugged