The History & Requirements of the Swiss Guard: the Oldest Standing Army | EWTN News Nightly

The swearing in of the Swiss Guard, annually takes place on May 6th. The new guards take their oath on the anniversary of the sack of Rome. On this day in 1527, 189 Swiss guards defended Pope Clement VII against German Landsknecht soldiers and Spanish mercenaries. Pope Clement VII and only 42 of the guards survived. Today, there are strict requirements on who can be a Swiss Guard. The guard must be a Swiss citizen, practicing Catholic and be between 19 and 30 years old. The recruit must be single and at least 5'8.5" feet tall. They must be available for at least 26 months of service. EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief, Andreas Thonhauser, joins to tell us more about the ceremony's history for the world's smallest and oldest standing army.

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