One young man's dream of becoming a Swiss Guard began with a postage stamp.
Michael Odermatt said that when he was a small child, his godfather gave
him a stamp depicting the ornately dressed papal soldier "and I was
fascinated by that image and wanted to know everything about the Swiss
Guard."
The allure was kept alive when his older brother became a Swiss Guard
and Odermatt was able to see -- during visits to Rome from his home in
the northern Swiss canton of Aagau -- how a papal protector really
lived.
"I went so many times to Rome to visit him that I was quite sure I would enter, too," he said.
The younger Odermatt's determination came through on May 6, 2013, when
he was officially sworn in as a Swiss Guard together with 34 other new
recruits.
Before hundreds of family members and friends, and dozens of Vatican
officials, he and his comrades took to the stage in the Vatican's Paul
VI audience hall with much fanfare and flair to swear to "faithfully,
loyally and honorably" serve and protect the pontiff and sacrifice, if
necessary, their lives for him.
To the somber taps of five drummers, the recruits marched solemnly in
procession wearing their 17th-century armor and metal helmets adorned
with ostrich plumes, and wielding Renaissance weaponry.
The annual swearing-in ceremony is held every year on May 6 -- the date
147 Swiss Guards lost their lives defending Pope Clement VII in the Sack
of Rome in 1527. Only 42 guards survived. Holding the ceremony on the
anniversary is meant to remind new guards of the seriousness of their
commitment.
Even though they are no longer fending off pillaging invaders, service
is demanding and comes with a compulsory two-year commitment.
Odermatt said one of the job's challenges is trying to convince curious
tourists they aren't allowed into Vatican territory without permission.
The Swiss soldiers guard all entrances into Vatican City State as well
as keep watch over the pope and his residence in the Domus Sanctae
Marthae.
"The tourists want to enter some part they aren't allowed into and you
have to say, 'No, it's forbidden to go there.' And some people just
don't understand why it's not allowed so sometimes you have to be..." he
said, pausing to think of the right word, "... diplomatic with them."
The other hard part of the job, he said, is sometimes "you have to stay
six hours on your feet" for a shift, but he said all the other amazing
experiences the job entails more than compensate for that.
The best part of his work, he said, is getting the chance to meet the
world's leaders, because the Swiss Guard provides security and
ceremonial services during visits of heads of state and other
dignitaries to the Vatican.
"We see people you'd never meet in your normal life."
"The second best reason is serving the pope," he added.
Pope Francis met the guards and their families before the May 6 ceremony
and thanked them for carrying out their "precious and generous" service
with "dedication, professionalism and love."
The pope recognized the daily sacrifices that come with their job and
said the strength needed to persevere comes from love and faith in
Christ.
Members of the Swiss Guard must be Swiss, Catholic and top-notch soldiers.
Odermatt said they are first and foremost "security guards, bodyguards."
However, there is a spiritual side, too, because "you are protecting
the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church" and serving the church as
well.
Groups of new recruits come in to start their service on a staggered schedule in June, November and February of each year.
When the February group arrived and the new recruits were just getting
their bearings and getting used to new protocols, they were suddenly
thrust into another whole new world when Pope Benedict XVI announced his
retirement Feb. 11 and the world's cardinals flocked to Rome to elect
Pope Francis in March.
"It was amazing to be here," he said, Odermatt said.
He said chances were already slim a young man from a small city in
Switzerland would find himself in Rome during such a historic
transition. But not only was he in Rome, he was one of a select corps of
men required to be close to the unfolding events in public and behind
the scenes.
"I really can't describe it, it was just amazing."