The Swiss Guard has difficulty in recruiting new blood. This time only 23 recruits take the oath on the church leader. Pope Francis wants to make the troupe more attractive with a reform.
The smallest army in the world can recruit fewer and fewer offspring. Two years ago, 40 recruits from the Swiss Guards took the oath, last year it was 32 and now there are only 23.
Ruth Metzler-Arnold, President of the Pontifical Swiss Guard Foundation, told Swiss Radio (SRF) that it was not the abuse scandal within the Catholic Church that prevented young men from serving in the Guard. Many young men find well-paid jobs in the private sector. The mission in the Vatican is becoming increasingly unattractive.
Guard exists since 1506
The need for new recruits has actually increased in the past year. In April 2018, Pope Francis ordered the number of guardsmen to be increased from 110 to 135. The staffing was simply too thin. Mission times and security requirements had increased massively.
The Swiss Guards are the traditional guardian of the church leader. Applicants must be at least 1.74 meters tall, be between 19 and 30 years old, single and Catholic. You must sign up for at least two years. „It is obvious that a Swiss guard is a visiting card for the Holy Father with his performance,“ it says on the website of the Guard.
The troop has been serving since 1506. The guardsmen practice in the traditional gala uniform in bright blue, red and yellow. They wear a helmet with a red feather and a long halberd with an ax-shaped blade. They are one of the most popular photo opportunities for tourists in Rome.
Marriage after five years of service
To win more recruits, Francis has already relaxed the strict rules. „One of the Pope’s most crucial measures was to allow the guardsmen to marry after five years of service, regardless of their military status,“ said Metzler-Arnold. Before that only officers, sergeants and corporals were allowed to marry, and that only after ten years of service.
In addition, the soldiers can look forward to financial relief if they want to start a family. For example, Metzler-Arnold announced in an interview with the SRF that her foundation will take over the school fees for the Swiss School in Rome. These amounted to between 2500 and 4100 euros per year.
