1.0WORLD CATHOLIC NEWShttps://www.worldcatholicnews.comNEWS DESKhttps://www.worldcatholicnews.com/author/bijupaval/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="0LhTfPgjiH"><a href="https://www.worldcatholicnews.com/swiss-guards-celebrate-515-years/">Swiss Guards celebrate 515 years</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.worldcatholicnews.com/swiss-guards-celebrate-515-years/embed/#?secret=0LhTfPgjiH" width="600" height="338" title="“Swiss Guards celebrate 515 years” — WORLD CATHOLIC NEWS" data-secret="0LhTfPgjiH" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> Swiss Guards in the Vatican (Vatican Media) VATICAN Vatican Switzerland Swiss Guard anniversary Swiss Guards celebrate 515 years January 22 marks the anniversary of the Swiss Guards, founded under Pope Julius II. This year the Guards celebrate 515 years. By Vatican News staff writer It was Pope Julius II that founded the Swiss Guards in 1506. Often dubbed as "the world's smallest army", the Swiss guards - a separate entity to the Swiss Armed Forces - are hired by the Roman Catholic Church, under the leadership of the pope, to whom they swear loyalty in a ceremony at the Belvedere Court in the Vatican. This ceremony takes place every year on 6 May - to mark the anniversary of the Sack of Rome in 1527, in which over 150 Swiss Guards were killed defending Pope Clement VII - who escaped to neighbouring Castel Sant'Angelo, escorted by the remaining 22 guards. Why Swiss? It is said that during the Middle Ages, Switzerland gained a reputation for having the most reliable mercena..https://www.vaticannews.va/etc/designs/vatican-news/release/library/main/images/vatican-news-header-white.png