GUARDIA SUIZA

Pope Honors Swiss Guards During Mass
By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 42 minutes ago
VATICAN CITY -
Pope Benedict XVI thanked the Swiss Guards on Saturday for their 500 years of service protecting popes, praising them as examples for all young people who want to serve the church.
Benedict recalled the colorful history of the elite papal corps during a special Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in honor of the anniversary of the corps' foundation.
Guards in their distinctive gold-and-blue striped uniforms sat in the front rows of the basilica and served as the readers during the service — a rare change for the young men, who normally stand silently at attention during papal Masses.
Later Saturday, the guards returned to St. Peter's Square in full armor for the annual swearing-in ceremony for the 33 newest members of the corps. The ceremony is held May 6, commemorating the day in 1527 when 147 Swiss Guards died protecting Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome.
During the ceremony, the new recruits raised three fingers and swore to uphold the Swiss Guard oath to protect Benedict and his successors "and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them."
The celebrations capped a busy week of anniversary events for the guards.
On Thursday, more than 100 former guardsmen marched into St. Peter's Square, ending a monthlong re-enactment of the 450-mile march from Switzerland completed by the first members of the elite corps five centuries ago.
Pope Julius II summoned the first group of 150 Swiss mercenaries in 1506 to protect him and the

Benedict recalled those milestones in his homily Saturday, saying it was necessary to highlight such long-ago events to properly pay homage to the dedication and sacrifice of so many men.
Speaking in Italian, German and French, Benedict said the guards' willingness to serve was a model for others, particularly the young.
"Among the many expressions of the presence of lay people in the Catholic Church, there is also the particular one of the Pontifical Swiss Guards, young men who motivated by love for Christ and church, put themselves at the service of the successor of Peter," Benedict said.
He said that for some men the service is limited, while others make it their life's work. "For all, however, being a Swiss Guard means accepting Christ and the church without reserve and being willing to give your life."
At the end of the Mass, the guards — wearing their trademark halberds and crimson-plumed helmets — marched two-by-two down the main aisle of the basilica to applause from the pews.
Later in the day, thousands of people turned out for the swearing-in ceremony, which usually takes place in an inner Vatican courtyard but was held in St. Peter's Square this year to accommodate crowds of people marking the anniversary, many carrying Swiss flags.
Several historic military corps also took part in the ceremony, including Britain's Honorable Artillery Company, founded in 1537, as well as the Guardia Real, the official security unit of the Spanish royal house, the Swiss Guards said.
The Swiss Guard commander, Col. Elmar Maeder, told the new recruits they would not be able to do as they please during their service. "Personal interests take second place, while egoism, consumerism and individualism must be put aside."
"However, we have the privilege of serving the successor of St. Peter," he said.
The guards provide ceremonial guard duty, assist at Vatican functions as well as help to protect the pope. Each recruit must be Catholic, between the ages of 19 and 30, have completed mandatory Swiss military service, have an impeccable reputation and agree to sign up for at least two years.