The Pontifical Swiss Guard will welcome 27 new recruits in a ceremonial swearing-in at the Apostolic Palace on 4 October.
The ceremony will take place in the Damaso Courtyard at 5 p.m., in the presence of senior Vatican officials and a delegation from Switzerland, including Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter. The event was postponed earlier this year following the death of Pope Francis.
The day will begin with Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, celebrated by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State. Later, the recruits will take their oath of loyalty on the corps flag before Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs, who will also confer medals of merit.
The recruits will be drawn from all regions of Switzerland, including candidates from Valais, Fribourg, Vaud and Zurich. Their swearing-in marks the culmination of months of preparation and is considered a decisive moment in the life of a guardsman. The newly sworn members will don the traditional gala uniform, designed in the early 20th century but rooted in Renaissance style.
The occasion is held annually on or near 6 May, the anniversary of the 1527 Sack of Rome, when 147 Swiss Guards gave their lives defending Pope Clement VII against imperial troops. A memorial service recalling their sacrifice will once again be central to the programme. This year’s schedule also includes Vespers at Santa Maria della Pietà in the Campo Santo Teutonico.
The press will also be shown an updated “Mezza Gala,” or representative uniform, at the Guard’s barracks, followed by opportunities to meet the recruits who will make their oath.
Founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II, the Swiss Guard is the world’s oldest standing army. Today, it numbers around 135 men who are responsible for the personal protection of the Pope and security at the Apostolic Palace, as well as ceremonial duties at papal liturgies and audiences.
While best known for their colourful striped uniforms and halberds, the Guards are also trained to modern military standards under the leadership of their commander, Colonel Christoph Graf.
The oath formula, unchanged through the centuries, binds each recruit to serve the Pope and his successors with loyalty and courage, even to the point of laying down their lives. It remains a tradition in which the Guard links its present mission with the sacrifice of its past.
(Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)