(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 04.10.2025).- In the heart of the Vatican, where history and faith intertwine with the precision of a Swiss watch, the Pontifical Swiss Guard presented its new representative uniform, an outfit that seeks to bridge the gap between the splendour of the past and the demands of the present. The ceremony, held in the Cantina degli Ospiti of its Vatican headquarters, took place a few days before the swearing-in of new recruits on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The smallest and oldest military corps in the world — founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II — entrusted with the security of the Pope and papal dependencies, thus reaffirms its identity of military discipline, Renaissance elegance, and spiritual vocation. The characteristic blue, red and yellow colors will continue to be an emblem of continuity, but the updated design offers a more functional, sober silhouette adapted to the needs of the times.
Commander Christoph Graf explained that the new uniform responds to the desire to recover an intermediate line between full dress and the daily service uniform. «For decades, the absence of uniform representation had left a void in the tradition of the Corps. Now, we are recovering a piece of our history that combines dignity, sobriety and practical sense,» he noted.
The so-called «mezza gala» uniform, used since the beginning of the 19th century and discontinued in 1976, was the subject of study and redesign for more than a decade. Redesign work began in 2011 based on archives and historical records. A first model was introduced in 2012, and its final update was approved in 2021 by the Deputy Secretary of State. The current version, presented this October, is the result of a careful balance between aesthetic fidelity and modern comfort.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
The official debut took place on the eve of the swearing-in, during a dinner with the families of the guards. The new recruits, 27 young Swiss, swore allegiance to the Pope in the traditional courtyard of San Damaso, inside the Apostolic Palace, on October 4. This act, one of the most solemn in Vatican life, marks their formal entry into the Corps.
Corporal Eliah Cinotti, the Corps’ communications officer, emphasized the profound significance of this rite. «We are not just armed guards; our main tool is words and respect. We guard the Holy Father, the doors of the Vatican, and the liturgical ceremonies, but above all, we serve with honour and faith.»
The October 4 oath, exceptionally celebrated on this date for the second time in history, replaced the traditional May 6 anniversary of the heroic sacrifice of 189 guards who died defending Pope Clement VII during the sack of Rome in 1527. The change was due, this time, to the mourning of the death of Pope Francis, just as in 2020 it was a consequence of the pandemic.
During the ceremony, attended by some 4,000 people, the new soldiers made their pledge of allegiance, in Latin words that have spanned five centuries of history.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard, with its 135 members, remains a living image of what the Vatican embodies: the guardianship of the past, faith in the present, and a gaze toward the future. And now, too, it is a reflection of a tradition that renews itself without losing its soul.
