Pope’s Colorful Swiss Guards Are Deadly Serious

But why do they dress so funny? Well, despite their medieval circus-like attire, dubbed “among the oldest uniforms in continuous use,” the Swiss Guard doesn’t clown around. They actually are crack protective troops with a long and storied history protecting popes. 

And they can be lethal.

As many of us watched the recent funeral of Pope Francis, followed by the papal conclave that elected the new Pope Leo XIV, most likely noticed a troop of tricolor pantalooned papal protectors wielding halberds, long handled battle axes on pikes.

These festively dressed troops are the pope’s personal security team and were also used to protect the College of Cardinals as they voted on the next leader of the Catholic Church. And they don’t just use medieval weapons.

But why are they called Swiss Guards if they are stationed in the world’s smallest country, Vatican City in Rome, Italy?

Well, their history dates back to the early 16^th century when Pope Julius II, known as “The Warrior Pope,” brought 150 of these highly regarded and militarily effective Swiss mercenaries to the Vatican.  Fighters from the alpine nation were renowned throughout Europe dating back to Roman times.

And as Fast Company reported: “It was a fortuitous decision, and one that would save Pope Clements VII’s life in 1527.”

On May 6—the day in which new Swiss Guard members are now traditionally sworn in every year, though that has been postponed in 2025 due to the conclave—Charles V’s soldiers sacked Rome. Of the Guard’s 189 members, 147 were killed, and they saved the pope’s life by ferrying him to safety through a secret passage.

Those courageous and fiercely loyal Swiss Guards, including their commander, were torn apart to give the pope time enough to escape.

As USA Today notes:

Their uniform is an homage to the epic last stand the guards once made to defend the pope. It’s a declaration that they are willing to do so again, according to Bry Jensen, a historian and host of a podcast about the papacy.

By the 20th century, the Swiss Guard had become largely ceremonial until its new commander, Jules Repond (who was appointed in 1910), brought back rigorous military exercises and rifle practice and mandated that only true Swiss natives could enroll.

Some of the troops even mutinied in 1913 for a week in response to the new changes but eventually received military training. Repond also studied Raphael’s frescoes and refined the uniform, drawing inspiration from its Renaissance-era appearance.

By 1914 they appeared in the final form they still use now, 111 years later.

Fast Company adds:

Today, the Vatican has a police force, which handles general security and law enforcement in the city. But the Swiss Guard exclusively protects the pope and his residence, and also travels abroad with him, in addition to safeguarding conclaves. And they do it with more than just those halberds—all members of the Guard must be between 19 and 30, Catholic, unmarried, and have already completed basic training with the Swiss Army, giving the 135-strong force proficiency with military tactics and modern firearms, which they are indeed equipped with. 

There’s more than meets the eye in those pantaloons. And not everyone is wearing them—some guards are in plain clothes and may appear to be tourists walking next to you.

All receive elite training in counterintelligence, close quarters combat (CQB) and bomb disposal. Much of this was mandated after terrorist Mehmet Ali Ağca shot and wounded Pope John Paul II in Saint Peter’s Square in 1981. Swiss Guards failed to stop the Turkish national from hitting the Polish pope, though he survived.

The likely Soviet KGB-orchestrated assassination attempt was a wake-up call for the papal bodyguards and their training was intensified.

USA Today explains:

Training begins with two months of basic training. For the first month, recruits train with the Ticino Cantonal Police at the Swiss Police and Army Training Center in Isone, Switzerland. There, the recruits learn firefighting, first aid, shooting, personal safety, self-defense, tactical behavior and the notions of law, the official Swiss Guard website states.

For the second month, recruits train at the Pontifical Swiss Guard Headquarters in Vatican City. They learn proper saluting, individual and group formations, guard changes and how to handle the halberd, a weapon used throughout the 13th to 16th centuries that combines an axe blade with a spike or hook. Recruits also learn Italian, if they aren’t already fluent.

But it’s not just the training which has increased, so have the numbers. During this conclave there were 24 more Swiss Guards protecting the Sistine Chapel than when Pope Francis was elected in 2013. At that time, there were 110 Swiss Guards. Today, there are 135.

This change dates back to 2018 when Vatican officials cited increased threats of terrorism to justify the added numbers. The guys are now ready for anything.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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