there could be female Swiss guards

This is a small revolution in the heart of the Vatican: in the future, Swiss women should also be able to join the pontifical guard. The pope himself would be open to these projects.

Kari Kälin and Patrik Müller / ch media

Late Monday afternoon, senior Swiss political and religious figures attended the swearing-in of 34 young men of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. There were the President of the Confederation Viola Amherd, Bishop Felix Gmür and a delegation from the canton of Basel-Landschaft. In the St. Damasus Courtyard of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, the future guards have vowed to sacrifice their own lives to protect the pope if necessary.

Among those sworn in, no women. There have never been female guards in the more than 500-year history of the Pope’s protection unit. The oldest army in the world, founded on January 22, 1506 by Pope Julius II, is currently made up of 135 men. Its distinctive sign is the so-called gala uniform, with its blue, yellow and red stripes. It is reserved for men.

But that should change soon. According to our information, a historic change is brewing at the Vatican. In the background of this upheaval, the construction of a new barracks, the groundbreaking of which will be given in two years. The inauguration is planned for 2030.

The new Swiss Guard housing will be built so that women can also live there. The existing infrastructure makes this impossible. In six years already, the head of the Catholic Church could be protected for the first time by female guards. “Dignified” accommodation separated by sex will then be possible, according to informed sources.

Behind the scenes, eminent Swiss personalities, including members of the Garde Foundation, worked for this opening.

Doris Leuthard is one of the ambassadors of this small revolution at the heart of the Catholic Church. The former federal councilor (PDC/Centre) chairs the sponsorship committee for the new construction of the barracks, which is responsible for fundraising. When asked if there would be female guards as soon as housing was no longer an obstacle, she said by SMS:

So what does the sovereign pontiff think? Francis, the Argentine head of the Catholic Church, appears to favor the opening. “La puerta está abierta”, the door is open, he would have declared in a small group.

But the 87-year-old pope has recently suffered recurring health problems. Some therefore fear that a possible conservative successor will obstruct the change that is being prepared.

Within the two Swiss Guard foundations, there is a consensus that the Catholic Church must move forward on the issue of women, at least with regard to the protection unit, where it does not there are no canon law obstacles. The Fondation de la Garde was created in 2000. For its part, the Fondation de la barracks supports the renovation of buildings.

Both entities include prominent figures. Jean-Pierre Roth, former president of the Swiss National Bank, sits on the board of directors of the Fondation de la Garde and chairs the Fondation de la Caserne.

But ultimately, it will be up to the pope to decide whether women can be members of the Guard in the future.

Crumbling plaster, stains on walls

The current accommodation was built in the 19th^e century with poor quality materials and, according to the Barracks Foundation, it no longer offers enough space to house the guards and their families. The poor quality of construction and insufficient insulation led to maintenance costs that were far too high. The plaster is crumbling, stains appear all over the walls. Still according to the Fondation de la Caserne, rooms for three – and sometimes more – as well as showers and toilets upstairs are no longer acceptable.

The new barracks will have 114 individual rooms for halberdiers, 11 studios for non-commissioned officers and 26 apartments for families. Guards and their families will be able to live under the same roof. Under these auspices, the way is open to female guardians.

The new barracks are expected to cost 50 million francs, including 5 million for temporary accommodation during construction. The barracks foundation has already received pledges of donations amounting to 48.5 million francs. They come from individuals, foundations, but also from cantons and Catholic corporations.

The interest of women for an engagement in Rome seems to be very real. Yannis Mäder was sworn in as a guard last year. He told the Kath.ch portal:

He himself sees no problem with women being able to enter the body. The male bastion is about to fall, but another condition remains: women must also have Swiss nationality.

Translated and adapted by Tanja Maeder