Review of The Swiss Guard

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January 22nd, 1506, is the official date of birth of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, because on that day, towards the evening, a group of one hundred and fifty Swiss soldiers commanded by Captain Kasparvon Silenen, of Canton Uri, passed through the Porta del Popolo and entered for the first time the Vatican, where they were blessed by Pope Julius II. The prelate Johann Burchard of Stras bourg, Master of Pontifical Ceremonies at that time, and author of a famous chronicle, noted the event in his diary.

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The Swiss Guard has been the military unit in charge of Vatican City security since 1505, the year in which it was founded by Pope Julius II. Pope Julius II considered a military unit dedicated solely to the protection of the pope vitally important. During its formation, the Guard first recruited Swiss mercenaries, considered some of the finest infantry personnel at the time. The Guard consists of 100 soldiers: four officers, twenty-three soldiers of mid-level rank, two drummers, one chaplain and seventy halberdiers. The halberdiers are specifically trained to use a rather strange weapon, the halberd, which ends in a lance point and has an axe head along one side.

In order to join the Swiss Guard, applicants also have to meet certain prerequisites. Soldiers have to be male, Swiss and between the ages of 19 and 30. Furthermore, soldiers must measure more than 174 centimetres in height, be unmarried and have completed basic training in the Swiss Army. It goes without saying that all soldiers applying to the Guard must belong to the Catholic faith.

The official dress uniform is a jumpsuit of blue, red, orange and yellow with a distinctly Renaissance appearance. A common misconception is that the dress uniform was designed by Michelangelo. In fact, guard commander Jules Repond created the uniforms in 1914, taking inspiration from the work of the painter Raphael."

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Nowadays, the Swiss Guard is mostly symbolic in character. In addition to their police duties, the Guard is responsible for supervising and enforcing proper conduct in the areas within and surrounding Saint Peter's Square and the Basilica. Furthermore, their history and unusual garb has turned the soldiers into a popular tourist attraction. Posing for photographs has now become an integral part of their job. Most of the soldiers don't seem to mind this task, fully aware that their present duties are far more concerned with public relations than military defence. Recognising the soldiers is easy enough, since all of them wear a pair of unmistakable trousers that button below the knee and a typical, long-sleeved jacket (regardless of the season) with blue, yellow and red stripes. It was long believed that Michelangelo designed the colourful uniform, but that is, in fact, nothing more than a popular myth. The uniform currently worn by the Guard wasn't introduced until 1915.

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http://www.vatican.va /roman_curia/swiss_guard /index.htm