SWITZERLAND – A member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard is reportedly under investigation for allegedly making offensive remarks toward two Jewish women during a papal general audience last Wednesday.
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According to reports, the guard may have made a contemptuous spitting gesture at the women as they entered the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square.
Corporal Eliah Cinotti, spokesperson for the Swiss Guard, confirmed that an internal investigation has been launched. “This is standard procedure to ensure that all members perform their duties with the highest level of professionalism,” he said, adding that the inquiry remains confidential.
The alleged incident occurred on October 29 at the Arch of the Bells entrance, during an audience marking the anniversary of Nostra Aetate, Pope Paul VI’s 1965 declaration on relations with non-Christian religions. The event drew representatives from multiple faiths, including a significant Jewish delegation.
Israeli writer and theater director Michal Govrin, one of the women involved, described the incident: “As a colleague and I—two women who are not easily identifiable as Jewish—entered a side entrance, a Swiss Guard allegedly hissed ‘les juifs’ at us and made a spitting gesture with clear contempt.”
If confirmed, the incident could lead to serious disciplinary action.
Earlier in the same audience, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the Vatican’s stance on anti-Semitism, stating, “The Church does not tolerate anti-Semitism and fights it, for the sake of the Gospel itself,” a declaration that was met with prolonged applause.