Today I would like to tell about Cohors pedestris Helvetiorum a sacra custodia Pontificis, in English it will be like
"Infantry cohort of the Swiss sacred protection of the Pope", or simply Swiss Guards.
This Swiss Guard Department is the only current type of armed forces of Vatican. It is considered to be the oldest army in the world (it was established by the Pope Julius II in 1506), preserved to this day.Now includes about 100 or 110 guardsmen who are trained in the Swiss armed forces and serve in Vatican. The official language of Swiss Guard is German.
Swiss Guard Department is responsible for the safety of the Pope, including the security of the Apostolic Palace. The Swiss Guard serves as the de facto military of Vatican City.
The dress uniform is of blue, red, orange and yellow with a distinctly Renaissance appearance. The modern guard has the role of bodyguard of the Pope. The Swiss Guard is equipped with traditional weapons, such as the halberd, as well as with modern firearms. Since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, a much stronger emphasis has been placed on the guard's non-ceremonial roles, and has seen enhanced training in unarmed combat and small arms.
Recruits to the guards must be unmarried Swiss Catholic males between 19 and 30 years of age who have completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces.
Today, the Swiss Guard is often referred to as the "calling card" of Vatican, but the duties of soldiers are much wider than participation in solemn ceremonies. Their main task is still the protection of the pontiff. Guardsmen serve at the entrances to the Vatican, on all the floors of the Apostolic Palace, at the Pope's chambers. Without their participation, not a single solemn mass takes place in St. Peter's Cathedral, without them there is no one audience and no diplomatic reception.
Swiss Guard Uniform
Already in the XVII century there was actually a uniform, which included stockings, boots with buckles, hats; wide trousers with ribbons, wide printed sleeves.
Modern suits for Swiss soldiers were invented in 1914 by the commander of the Guard Jules Repon. He was inspired by the frescoes of Raphael Santi. Jules Repon created a suit in the style of the Renaissance, but simplified it, removing unnecessary pretentiousness and replacing hats with berets.
The uniform is divided into: a ceremonial dress uniform (parade), casual and working.
Parade uniform is divided into two types: gala and grand gala. The gala of the costume includes: striped red-blue-yellow camisoles and pants picked up under the knees, beret or morion with red plumes in solemn occasions, shell, halberd and sword. The grand gala is complemented by a cuirass and iris and helmet with a white metal morion with a red plumage. The grand dress uniform consists of 154 parts and weighs more than 5 kilograms, so they only wear it on especially important and solemn ceremonies.
Everyday form of blue color, consists of a camisole with wide sleeves and a white turndown collar, wide pants below the knee that fit into dark blue gaiters, and black shoes. Headpiece - black beret. This form is worn by soldiers for drill lessons or for service in the internal premises of the Guards.
The traditional weapon of the Vatican guardsmen were spears-protasans (or halberds) and swords, it was Jules Repon who introduced the Mauser rifle and the Draize pistol into the armament of the soldiers.
The meaning of colours
Yellow, blue and red colors - a symbol of the powerful Medici family. Also these colours mean nobility, education (enlightenment), wealth. Some sources say that yellow colour is life, ** blue is faith**, and the red colour is Christ's blood.
Wish you to visit Vatican and to see "Cohors pedestris Helvetiorum a sacra custodia Pontificis". Remember, dreams work!