May 6th: Swiss Guard Anniversary

May 6th is the Anniversary of the Stand of the Swiss Guard, which became the date of their swearing in Ceremony.

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~ May 6, 2007: San Damaso Courtyard~

It had been 480 years since the sack of Rome, and 147 Swiss Guards gave their lives protectingPope Clement VII.

Since that day, May 6th had been celebrated as the Feast of the Pontifical Swiss Guard to honour their fallen number, and initiate new Guards into the service.

After the horrifying events of the year before, and the new regulations that the Swiss Army had implemented for stringent security, there were very few new recruits.

Five to be exact.

Ernesto Olivetti, Inspector of the Offices of Vatican Security, stood at the sidelines as Pope Pius XVII gave his homily and then prepared the Mass. It was unusual for the Pontiff to be so directly involved in that way over such a ceremony, but His Holiness had made a most deliberate point of being the one to preside. It mattered greatly, and that was precisely what he had told Ernesto when he was politely informed that he didn’t technically have to be there.

Soon after his promotion, Olivetti had been confronted by Retired Commandante, Franz de Courten, of the Swiss Guard. The man had stalked uninvited into his office, and gone into a bitterly furious tirade about Ernesto destroying the history, honour, and traditions of the Swiss Guard. He had marched around the room, his walking stick slamming into the floor to emphasise each point that he was making, and in no uncertain terms, did he accuse Ernesto of deliberately seeking power by the forcible removal all that came before him.

For his part, the Inspector had sat quietly behind his desk, waiting until the retired Commander finished his ranting and got all that venom off his chest. When the man finally stopped and stared, expecting Olivetti to give an answer, what came next was a simple rebuttal stating that no one thought he, the inimitable de Courten, could possibly have had anythingto do with Richter or his plans, therefore his bolstering anger was without foundation. Ernesto then continued to inform the man, that he was not in fact trying to remove the Swiss Guard, instead he was trying to bring together two unique divisions with their own historical backgrounds and beloved ideals, that had spent too many years working side by side while remaining with separate identities, in order to protect the Vatican and his Holiness. The traditions of the Swiss Guard were as important as those of the Vatican Police, but new ones had also to be made.

Evolution was inevitable.

He then invited him to the Feast of the Pontifical Swiss Guard as his personal guest.

Ernesto looked out over the small private crowd. The five new recruits were sitting in the front row, listening intently to the homily. When they were called upon to make their vows, they stood, moving as a unit, their stance clearly demonstrating the pride they justly felt at having been selected for the few who would ever come to hold so prestigious a position.

The Chaplain of the Guard read the Oath.

When their name was declared, each man approached the Swiss Guard Flag and grasped the banner in his left hand. He raised his right hand with his thumb, index, and middle finger extended along three axis, a gesture that traditionally symbolized the Holy Trinity, and swore allegiance adding his own name where necessary.

“I swear diligently and faithfully to abide by all that has just been read out to me, so grant me God and so help me his Saints.”

After the last man, Cardinal Strauss, who stood at the Pope’s elbow,looked over at the Inspector and gave him a nod.

“Ernesto Olivetti.”

The crowd quieted down as he strode purposefully up the stairs and onto the podium. He wasn’t wearing the uniform of the Guard, but instead had donned his formal uniform of the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City State, and was sporting a ribbon pinned to his lapel, formed from interwoven strands that bore the traditional distinctive colours of the Swiss Guard. He approached the Flag with military bearing and precision, grasped it with his left hand, and held up his right with the three fingers extended as per protocol.

Aloud, he spoke the Oath for himself, making a slight adjustment for the impact of the moment.

“I, Ernesto Olivetti, swear I will faithfully, loyally and honourably serve the Supreme Pontiff Pope Pius XVII and his legitimate successors, and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the See is vacant. Furthermore I promise to my men, of each rank and both branches of Vatican Security, all respect, fidelity and courage. This I swear! May God and our Holy Patrons assist me!”

He looked out past the crowds to see the men of the Vatican Police, all in their best uniform, all standing proud, and all saluting their new comrades in the Swiss Guard.

He stepped back, turned to the freshly sworn in Guards and saluted them.

They saluted back.

Months later the Swiss Guards would show their comrades the same respect by attending the necessary ceremony for newly initiated members of the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City State.

And evolution became history.

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