New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-15
GUARDIANS OF THE POPE.
His S1ass Regiment about to Cele-
bnate It's Quadricentepn;oy

AZ the enc OF the present month TIE Swiss Guard
If the Pope will celebrate the completion OF the
fourth century or its existence. having been first
formed N October 1895. by Pope Julius III az III.
suggestion OF the Swiss Cardinal scbs,n-- ara tb~
uniforms designed by Michael Angelo al the request
OF julius remain, for the helmet identiosI,v
the same as they were In the days the ulustrlous
master VINO painted the frescos Of the ssx+sna
chapel The swiss Guards are recruited exclusive
II from men OF the cantors Of Iucerne ans ~
zurich Citizens from other Swiss cantons even
nom cantoas so completely Roman Catholic as
Eribu-s and Ticino, not eligible They must
- more than twenty-five vears-of age unmarried
sae SIX feet IN height Originally the corps num-
nered &c this being increase az times 70 double
that figure To-day there are hut 80 consisting
- twelve commissioned officers two drIrners and
10 non-oomnissioned officers and men They are
enlisted for term OF I'VE years at the close OF
which they are entitled 10 a nominal pension The
latter however. is OF but little considerat lion 10
them. Cor Shey arc mostly men Of good family and
vel 20 do. who enlist in the Swiss Guard partly
for the purpose OF fulfilling What they believe TO be
the traditional duties Of their families 10 the Church
Gne partly too. on account OF the opportunity which
affords them &C studying under the most favor
able conditions the various branches OF art and
literature III the Vatican itself and also beyond the
Papal borders in the city Of Rome
TO the members of the Swiss Guard IS intrusted
the guardianship OF what may be described as
the frontiers OF the Papal territory They stand on
duty Just inside the Vatican gates and AT the
great bronze doors and one. be he prince or
peasant. pass in without either showing them
an entrance card. duly stamped with the Papal
else giving them tie password. OF course
since 1870 their duties have been Of an essentially
pacidc character. But in former times they put
Up many hard fought battle in behalf Of the
PonL1 whom they had sworn 10 protect. and when
the Constable Of Bourbon storraed the Eternal
CITY. something more than three hundred years
ago re mastered every one OF them 70 the last
Tsn.
TIE Swiss Guard is the present moment com
Iaanded BY Colonel Baron Meyer Won Schauensee
whose sen also officer of the corps contracted
q somewhat unfortunate marriage with the daugh-
Q. Mrs. Robert Tolsnd. Of Spruce-st, Phla-
delphia- The colonel is the chief 81 ot the
Oldest patricau houses q Svitzerlan1. - which
The German Emperor RUDOLF OF Hapsbufg granted,
n year l27S. the cast. OF SchSuensee. the
shores OF the Lake Of -Four Ceatsns- The Meyers
have tervent Catholics fo~ eight centuries. ana
have occupied their castle for seven
hundred years, and II I lay stress on this IL is
because the name Of Meyer rather suggests the
HsbTaic race. and when in conjunction with the
title OF baron nobilisry dignity OF modern origin.
TIE Pope's Swiss Guard is tbs only corps OF the
ktnd left. In the eighteenth century the kings
OF France and Of Naples well the Gar OF
Russia, had their Swiss Guards, and although they
used 10 be denounced in those days as nercenaries
ret they greatly distinguished themselves by the
heroism Of their defence OF the King and Queen cf
France against the bloodthrsty revolutionists when
the latter stormed first OF all Versailles, and after
ward the TUleries. The Swiss Guard Of the King
dom Of Naples went out Of existence with the over
throw OF Bourbon rule in Italy, while unless m
much mistaken. the Swiss Guard OF the Russian
crown were disbanded by Emperor Paul.