Pope meets Swiss Guards

May 05, 2014 - ‎ “Remember that it is not the uniform but the person who wears it that attracts others with his spirit of ‎kindness, ‎hospitality and attitude of love towards others,” Pope Francis told members of the Pontifical ‎Swiss Guard on Monday, on the eve of the day when new recruits are sworn into the corps. The oath-taking ‎ceremony is held each year on May 6 to commemorate the day in 1527 when 147 ‎Swiss ‎Guards died ‎protecting Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome. Only 42 guards ‎survived. ‎This year also marks ‎the centenary of the famous red, blue and yellow uniform of the Swiss Guards, the world’s oldest and smallest army. Pope Francis urged the Swiss Guards, who met him with their families, to give importance to ‎their life as part of a community of Guards, ‎making time to share happy moments but also not ignoring ‎fellow members in difficulty and in need of ‎encouragement and friendship. ‎
The Holy Father stressed that although the city of Rome is filled with countless monuments and ‎historical and artistic places that show the greatness of its culture and its history, the city is not only a ‎great museum, but a crossroads for tourists and pilgrims from all over the world, people of different ‎languages, traditions , religions and cultures. He reminded the new recruits they called to give a ‎peaceful and joyful Christian witness to those who come to the Vatican to visit St. Peter's Basilica and ‎see the Pope. He thanked the world’s oldest and smallest army saying he appreciates and witnesses ‎their ‎ the dedication and commitment every day.‎