Parmelin visits the Vatican for Swiss Guard swearing in
The meetings focused on bilateral relations between Switzerland and the Holy See, and the Swiss Guard.
Keystone / Vatican Media Handout
Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin met Pope Francis in the Vatican on Thursday, in a visit that also included the swearing-in of 34 new Swiss Guards.
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“This morning I had the honour of speaking to Pope Francis,” Parmelin tweeted in the early afternoon about his visit to Rome.
Parmelin spoke with Francis, and with the Vatican’s Cardinal Secretary of State, notably about the service of the Swiss Guard and the “good relations” between Switzerland and the Holy See, according to a Vatican press release.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard has been gradually increased from 110 to 135 men since 2018, the Department of Economy, Education and Research announced in advance of Parmelin’s visit.
Due to the pandemic, the swearing-in ceremony was to take place in a restricted setting, according to the Swiss Guard. Only the parents and siblings of the new guardsmen and the families of the active guardsmen are expected to attend, along with a handful of representatives from Switzerland.
The Swiss Guard was founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II, deposed twice and re-established in 1800. It remains tasked with protecting the pope and his residence.
Entry requirements include being Swiss, Catholic, at least 1.74 metres tall, under 30 years old, and male.
The swearing-in ceremony of the smallest army in the world always takes place on 6 May – in memory of the 1527 Sack of Rome.
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