For the Pontifical Swiss Guard, this is the most important day of the year. Twenty-seven new recruits, representing four linguistic regions of Switzerland, have taken their oath in front of their families and members of the Roman Curia. The traditional swearing-in ceremony inside Vatican City commemorates the sacrifice of 147 guards who gave their lives defending Pope Clement VII during the devastating 1527 attack on Rome, known as the “Sack of Rome.”
This year, however, the ceremony was not held on its traditional date of May 6, but exceptionally on Saturday, October 4.
Jonas Koch is the Media representative of the Pontifical Swiss Guard in the Vatican. He explains:
“Sadly, Pope Francis passed away on April 21, and with the conclave starting shortly afterward, it became clear that organizing the swearing-in on May 6 would not be possible. We still laid the traditional wreath to honor the fallen guards, but postponed the main celebrations with guests until October."
This is a significant moment for the Church. Only a select few young Swiss men meet the strict requirements to join the world’s smallest and oldest military corps.
“We all have to be male, Catholic, and single,” Koch notes. “Then we must be between 19 and 30 years old. We need to have completed either vocational training or high school, as well as recruit school in the Swiss Army. We must also hold a driver’s license and meet the minimum height requirement. These are all prerequisites in order to serve for at least 26 months.”
With the Holy Year underway and the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, interest in the Vatican—and in the Swiss Guard—has grown, especially among young Swiss citizens.
Koch speaks to this trend: “General media interest in the Vatican, and of course in the Pontifical Swiss Guard itself, has risen significantly in recent times. If we look at the trends of how often the Swiss Guard was searched for online, we saw the highest numbers in the past five years — first from April 20 to 24, and then again at the beginning of May.”
The Holy Father's intense activity and his frequent trips outside Rome, including those to the summer residence in Castel Gandolfo require full-time dedication from the papal soldiers and many hours-of-service day and night.
“For us, the Holy Year is what increases our workload the most,” Koch adds, “and we are also happy and proud to have so many events and to welcome so many pilgrims. It’s not only because of Pope Leo himself now, but the entire Jubilee of the Holy Year, which brings many major events.”
By taking their oath, the new Swiss Guards renew the centuries-old tradition of loyal service to the Pope, rooted in faith, courage, and obedience.
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE
Adapted by Jacob Stein
Produced by Magdalena Wolinska-Riedi; Camera by Fabio Gonella, Anthony Johnson; Video Edited by Andrea Manna; Special thanks & Credits to The Pontifical Swiss Guard

Born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1979, she is a linguist, translator, producer, writer, journalist, and a long-time foreign correspondent for Polish National Television TVP in Rome and the Vatican. She holds a master's degree from the University of Warsaw, doctoral studies from the Gregorian University in Rome, and post-master studies from the Diplomatic Academy in Warsaw. For 10 years, she was a translator for the Tribunal of the Roman Rota and the Apostolic Signature in the Vatican. She has produced over 20 documentaries about the Vatican and the papacy and authored four bestsellers about the Vatican and Rome. As the wife of a Pontifical Swiss Guard member, she lived for over 16 years in Vatican City, a neighbor to the last three popes. She is the mother of two teenage daughters and has been the EWTN Vatican correspondent in Rome since May 2024.