On the 500th Anniversary of the Swiss Guard

"The U.S. president has the Secret Service as protection. The pope has the Swiss Guard.

"Who are these men donning multi-colored uniforms designed during the Middle Ages who march around St. Peter's Square?

"It all dates back to the late 1400s, when guardsmen began serving the Papal States. In 1505 the Swiss bishop Matthaus Schiner, who later became a cardinal, proposed to Pope Julius II the creation of a permanent Swiss contingent that would operate under the direct control of the pope."

A recent article in Religion Unplugged profiled the Swiss Guard.

To access the complete Religion Unplugged report, please visit:

Religion Unplugged: Meet The Swiss Guard: 500 Years Of Protecting The Papacy (12 SEP 24)