What is the official name of the Swiss Guard?

Answer 1

The Swiss Guard is known officially as the Guardia Svizzera Pontificia, the bodyguard of the popes which is recruited from the Catholic Swiss cantons and first established by Pope Julius II who reigned from 1503-1513 about 1505. The Swiss Guard is also known as Cohors Helvetica. The Swiss Guard was created as a result of an agreement reached by Pope Julius with the Zurich and Lucerne cantons in which that pope contracted several hundred well-trained soldiers to serve as the pope's personal guard. The first Swiss troops arrived in Rome, 21 January 1506, marching into St. Peter's Square through the Porta del Popoio under their first commanding officers, Peter Hertenstein and Gasper de Silinon. This contingent received the papal blessing in St. Peter's Square. The anniversary of this occasion is observed annually. The ceremonial dress uniform of the Swiss Guard may have been designed by Michelangelo; however, some scholars point out that the Swiss Guard entered into papal service already wearing their distinctive uniform.

Presently, the blue and gold striped uniform with the Cambridge style beret and high, white ruffled collar is world renown. Recruitment to the Swiss Guard is limited to Catholic Swiss men. If found acceptable for service, the potential guardsman (must be a veteran the Swiss Army) signs up for a two year enlistment, although he is able to leave at any time after giving 3-month's notice. After 18 years of service, a guardsman is eligible for a pension equal to half of his active duty pay, this increases to full pay after 30 years of service.

The Swiss Guards' barracks is located just inside St. Anne's Gate and has its own chapel. The corps is under a Colonel Commandant with 3 other officers and a Chaplain, who manage 20 noncommissioned officers, two drummers, and 70 guardsmen who carry halbred and rapiers. The halbred is the tall axe-tipped pole which is used for crowd control. However, the guardsmen are highly trained in modern weapons, each guardsmen carries an automatic pistol and has access to automatic rifles that are kept at east to access spots. The Swiss Guard presence around the Pope is ubiquitous and a squad accompanies him wherever he goes.

The Swiss Guards have been historically willing to sacrifice their lives in service to the Pope which was proven in 1527 when Emperor Charles V sacked Rome and St. Peter's. The Swiss strongly defended the Vatican to protect the person of Pope Clement VII, with 150 guardsmen dying in a brutal melee in St. Peter's Square which bought time for Clement to escape over the loggia to the safety of Castel Sant Angelo. Among the dead were the Swiss Commandant and his wife who were tortured to death in their quarters. Annually, on 6 May, the Swiss Guard commemorates the memories of the fallen guardsmen. It is on this day that recruits are given their oath of allegiance to the Pontiff and enrolled in the Swiss Guards.