The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-04-26
PAPAL NOBLE GUARDS OPEN TO
AMERICANS.

Since Plus x has thrown open the
ranks of his noble guard to Americans
of the Roman Catholic creed, and of
unexceptionable record, whose applica-
ton to join is Endorsed by their do
cesar, and who are willing to serve
the Holy Father in military capacity,
without pay or allowances, it may be
well to explain just what the noble
guard really is.
Unlike the Swiss guard and the
palatine guard of the Pontiff, it is OF
relatively modern origin. 1t was
instituted on May II, 1901, by Plus
VII to take the place of the so-called
cavallegieri, who were abolished by
the French republic when its armies
seized Rome in 1898. The cavallegieri
had been in existence since the reign
of Leo x.
The noble guard of the Pope was
designed at the time of the creation
of the corps, to serve as his principal
bodyguard, and more especially to
act as his mounted escort when he
drove through the streets of Rome.
Until the overthrow of the temporal
sovereignty of the Papacy in 1870, it
was a mounted corps. But since that
time it's horses have been done away
with and although it's members still
wear the breeches, the big jack-boots
and the spurs of a cavalryman, there
are many of them who have never
bestridden a horse in their lives.
Their duties nowadays are almost
exclusively ornamental, the actual
guarding being done by the Swiss
guard, which dates back as far as the
days of Michelangelo, who designed
it's queer medieval uniform. Still, the
noble guard make brave show on all
state occasions, and there are several
always on duty in the antechambers
of the Holy Father, and in attendance
upon him when he appears at any
ceremony, or when he takes his daily
airing in the grounds of the Vatican.
In it's inception it was decided to
restrict the noble guard exclusively to
scions of the patrician families of
Rome; that is to say, of families
whose names figure in the golden
book of Rome, compiled some 300
years ago, and which included only
those who at that time could show a
noble ancestry extending back two or
more centuries But this was found
impracticable, and during the last two
decades men have been admitted to
the noble guard, whose nobility was of
very recent origin.
Now even this standard has been
found difficult to maintain, largely
owing to the fact that military service
in King Victor EmmanuePs army is
obligatory upon every Italian citizen,
and that it is impracticable to be a
soldier or commissioned officer of the
same time. That is why the noble
guard is now being thrown open to
foreigners, instead of being restricted,
as heretofore, entirely to Romans.
The rank and file have hitherto re-
ceived pay at the rate of ten francs
per diem, while the stipends of the
officers have been CORRESPONDENCE
large. This remuneration will be
continued to those who are already
enrolled, but those who join from now
on will be required to serve without
pay.
From the time of the creation of the
corps until seven years ago, its COM
mand was vested in one or an
other of the princes of the his
toric house of Altieri. But since the
death of Don Paolo of that ilk, who
left son under age, it has been com.
manded by Prince Camille Rospigliosi
of the senior branch of that ancient
family, and whose mother was one OF
the best known figures of Rome, where
she virtually ruled society, her salons
being for near half century the
most famous in all Italy. One of Dor
Camillos SONS is married to Miss
Ethel Bronson of New York. Another
son, Prince Ludovico, is also married
to an American woman, formerly Miss
Mildred Hazeltine.
It may be added that the uniform Of
the noble guard, at any rate the one il
which they are usually seen consists
of black tunic, with gold epaulets
dark blue trousers, gold-braided, anC
steel helmets with gold crest.