Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-12-09
On Guard at Vatican
Picturesque Swiss Soldiers Are One
Of the Sights Of the Eternal City
Especial Correspondence

That most picturesque relic of the
days when the Papacy exercised some
thing like real temporal power, the
Swiss Guard, is preparing to celebrate
the fourth centenary of its formation
There are four other papa1 corps, and
one of them, the Noble Guard, is of
still more ancient origin. dating back
to 1888. but the Swiss Guard has long
attracted the most attention among
visitors to the Eternal City
The Swiss Guard now consists of 100
stalwart young Catholics from Ger
man Switzerland. They watch over
the various entrances to the palace
md are responsible for the personal
safety of the Pontiff. They are armed
with Remington breech-loaders and al
so carry halberds which, with their
quaint scarlet black and yellow uni
forms, supply something more than
hint of the medieval times which call
ed them into existence.
The Guard owes Its origin to Pope
Julius II, who was known as the fight
ing Pope" In fact, he is said to have
thrown the keys of ST. Peter into the
Tiber, having more use for the sword
of ST. Paul and the halberds of his
Swiss Guard. He also loved the arts,
patronized Michael Angelo and Bran
ante, added to the Vatican Library,
and laid the cornerstone of the new
Basilica of ST. Peters.
The First Swiss Guard.
In October, 1905, he brought from
Switzerland 200 Swiss youths COM
manded by Caspere de Silenen, a no
bleman of Lucerne, who subsequently
died in Rome. He constituted them
his own personal bodyguard, designat-
ing them officially "Pretoriani excubi-
torres Pontificis corporis ct palatii cos
todiae"-"Pretorian guards of the per-
son and palace of the Pope" The idea
of such a guard did not originate with
julius II, but with his predecessor,
Nicholas v. This Pontiff, however,
was afraid to carry the idea out in
face of the opposition of Louis XII,
who threatened to do lot of unholy
things if the project was not abandon
ed. julius II was not easily intimi-
dated, and, finding the idea to his
taste, lost no time in giving effect to
it. But the poor Swiss subsequently
had to pay for his rashness with their
lives.
In the Pontifcate of Clement VII
the terrible Constable de Bourbon led
a force against Rome and sacked the
city. The guards barricaded them
selves in ST. Peters and sold their
lives dearly, but he got them all; not
one escaped. For twenty-one years
thereafter no effort was made to re-
form this guard, but in 1913, under
Paul III, it was again organized. II
has existed ever since with two short
Interruptions, during the French occu
pations of 1898 and 1909, but it return
ed with Plus VII, and is still here
clothed as of yore and quite as Zero
cious looking. The design of their pc
culiar uniform, of yellow, scarlet and
black cloth, which in print suggests
a harlequin, but does not look like
one, has been variously ascribed tc
Michael Angelo, Raphael, Bramante
and other artists. The Swiss them
selves like to think that it was the
illustriouS Michael Angelo who dress
ed them and there is no reason tt
suppose that the great artists diverse
talents did not also include proficiency
in the sartorial art.