His ex-commander would be delighted to see women in the pontifical protection troop. However, they do have disadvantages compared to men.
Kari Kälin / ch media
Women as priests: Pope Francis is not in favor of such a revolution. Within the Swiss Guard, the pope’s protection troop, he showed himself to be more progressive. “The door is open,” he is said to have declared in a small group.
Efforts in this direction are underway. They are linked to the construction of a barracks which would allow separate housing according to gender. Groundbreaking is expected in two years, with an inauguration planned for 2030. In six years, for the first time, women could join the world’s smallest army, revealed CH Media Tuesday.
The driving forces behind this spectacular innovation are the Guard and the Barracks Foundation. Jean-Pierre Roth, former president of the Swiss National Bank, sits on both bodies and ensures:
We are doing everything to ensure that the conditions are met”
Pius Segmüller, commander of the Swiss Guard from 1998 to 2002, is in favor of the idea. “It can be enriching and improve the Guard,” he assures. As for the legendary uniform, for the former defender of the Pope, it is clear that it should be the same for women as for men: “It is the emblem of the Swiss Guard.”
The pontifical guards.Image: KEYSTONE
The question of the inclusion of women in the pontifical guard has resurfaced due to the construction of a new barracks to house the pope’s Swiss soldiers, but it is not new. “I could imagine women for one or two tasks in the Guard”declared another former commander, Daniel Anrig, in 2009 to the television channel Italia 1. Until then it was accommodation that was problematic, but this could be resolved soon.
Catholic faith is a prerequisite
The question remains open as to the number of female soldiers who would be interested in joining the Swiss Guard, currently 135 men strong. A prerequisite is having completed recruit school. Currently, just over 2,400 women serve under the White Cross flag, with an increasing trend. In the last year alone, the army seduced 542 women.
Service at the Vatican is, moreover, reserved for Catholics. A high school diploma or completed professional training is also required, and You must be between 19 and 30 years old. So far so good.
A handicap for women, however, would be to be found on the physical side. The required profile includes an indicative height of 1.74 meters. However, on average, young Swiss women are only 1.66 meters tall, while young men are 1.79 meters tall.
Call for flexibility
Former commander Segmüller is confident that flexible solutions could be found. And Stefan Wyer, spokesperson for the Pontifical Swiss Guard, assures us:
“The height of 1.74 meters is a reference. We are also looking at suitable candidates who are smaller.”
Only one certainty, however, at this stage: the final decision rests with the pope.
A long tradition
The Swiss Guard was founded on January 22, 1506 by Pope Julius II. She is responsible for protecting the Pope and his residence. She also accompanies the Holy Father on his trips abroad and monitors all entrances to the Vatican State. On Monday, 34 new guards were sworn in at the Vatican. The President of the Confederation, Viola Amherd, attended the ceremony.
Before the swearing-in, Francis received the 34 young men for a private audience. He thanked them and their families, praised the esprit de corps and gave practical advice, according to Vatican News: choose smart walks in Rome rather than spending too much time on your smartphone.
Not a word about women.
Translated and adapted by Noëline Flippe
