Most of the readers of this column would probably be familiar with the young men in red, yellow and blue uniforms marching around parts of the city of Rome. They carry with them a halberd, which is a long wooden pike, with a sharp metal spike on top and a blade-like slicer resembling an axe. The men are of course the Papal Swiss Guard, who are the protectors of the pope and the Vatican State. The men are not merely renaissance reenactors hired for local color, but an actual military unit. They are posted at prominent positions near the gates and crossroads of the Vatican, but behind the scenes are also men in modern clothes carrying communication devices and actual firearms. The Swiss Guard was founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II. Years earlier in the fifth century, Pope Sixtus IV recognized the popes needed a military. The Papal States was an autonomous nation covering not just the city of Rome but a band of central Italy. Like all nations, the Papal States needed an army, and so Pope Sixtus formed an alliance with the Swiss government to hire mercenaries. Pope Innocent VIII continued the practice and the great Borgia Pope Alexander VI made great use of them in a war with France. The relationship with Swiss soldiers was so successful that Pope Alexander resolved to keep them as a permanent force, but it remained until the next pope to get things done. Two hundred men marched out of Switzerland as mercenaries, but when they arrived in Rome in 1506, they found themselves declared a national army. In the centuries that followed, the Swiss Guard served in a number of military engagements. The best known was their defense of the pope in the sack of Rome in 1527. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was allied to Spain, but the papal state was allied to France. The emperor had his army deployed in Italy, but when he moved his armies close to the city to motivate the pope to sign a treaty, the troubles began. The imperial army was largely full of German troops, many of whom were Lutherans and not sympathetic to the Vatican. When the emperor delayed paying their wages, the Germans revolted and despite orders from Charles V, entered Rome and proceeded to pillage. As they marched through the city, the mutinous troops declared they were bringing a bag full of ropes to hang all the cardinals and a special silk rope to hang the pope. The great reformer, Martin Luther sent messages pleading with the rioters not to harm the city. They ignored such messages. Because of an outbreak of the plague, Rome was largely abandoned and the locals could not put up much resistance. The German Imperial Guard rioted and plundered. Any monks they found were castrated and holy shrines were robbed of any treasure. Pope Clement VII fled the city and headed toward the Castel Sant’Angelo. The Swiss Guard fought a brave rear-guard action, which allowed the pope to get to safety, but the great majority of the Guard were slaughtered. An estimated 12,000 citizens were killed in the attack. Clement VII survived, but he never crossed the emperor again. The Guard has been abolished and reformed many times. In 1929, when the Italian state recognized the existence of the Vatican State, the guard was retained, although ordinary police protection was taken care of by the Papal Gendarmerie Corps, a separate body of trained police officers who attend to ordinary police matters in the Vatican state. In 1970, Pope Paul VI dissolved the other military forces, leaving only the Swiss Guard. In 2019, there were 135 soldiers in the guard. In recent years they have been required to take special training in dealing with terrorism. It has been called “the smallest army in the world.” Related Articles Redlands interfaith Iftar brings community together for peace, prayer Ash Wednesday observed by Inland Empire Christians Pope laments ‘ashes of international law’ left by today’s conflicts in Ash Wednesday liturgy Bishop Alberto Rojas calls ICE actions a ‘violation of human dignity’ in Lenten message Lunar New Year prayers, robots and festivities usher in the Year of the Horse To join the Swiss Guard today there are some special requirements. Applicants must be male; between the ages of 19 and 30; unmarried; Swiss citizens; at least 5 feet, 8 inches and have a school diploma. Initial recruitment is for 26 months, and after five years of service they are allowed to marry. They are required to have the standard military training in Switzerland, where military service is mandatory for all men. There are occasional whispers that one day women will be allowed to join. One last comment on the splendid uniforms of the Swiss Guard. A popular legend says the Renaissance-themed uniform was originally designed by Michelangelo. Alas this is not true. They were designed by Jules Repond, the one-time commandant of the Guard and the uniforms introduced only in 1914. The colors are those of the Medici family and the uniforms are based on Renaissance models. The halberd pike they carry is a weapon first used in 15th century military gear. Gregory Elder, a Redlands resident, is a professor emeritus of history and humanities at Moreno Valley College and a Roman Catholic priest. Write to him at Professing Faith, P.O. Box 8102, Redlands, CA 92375-1302, email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @Fatherelder. ...read more read less