Digital Color Signed Photograph PONTIFICAL SWISS GUARD on POST by Martin For Sale

Digital Color Signed Photograph “PONTIFICAL SWISSGUARD on POST”. Original by Martin. Ready to Frame. Brand New Photograph. ImageSize 8-1/2\" X 11\". Suitable for framing with Vivid Color and PortraitFormat. Printed on sturdy, Glossy PhotoPaper.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard, alsoknown as the Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard, is an armed force andhonor guard unit maintained by the Holy See that protects the Pope and theApostolic Palace within the territory of the Vatican City State. Established in1506 under Pope Julius II, it is among the oldest military units in continuousoperation and is sometimes called \"the world\'s smallest army\". TheSwiss Guard is popularly recognized by its Renaissance-era dress uniform,consisting of a tunic striped in red, dark blue, and yellow, high plumedhelmet, and traditional weapons such as the halberd. However, guardsmen performtheir protective duties in functional attire and with modern firearms; sincethe assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, the Guard has placedgreater emphasis on its nonceremonial roles and has seen enhanced training inunarmed combat, small arms, and counterterrorism tactics. The Swiss Guard isconsidered an elite military unit and highly selective its recruitment:candidates must be unmarried Swiss Catholic males between 19 and 30 years ofage, and at least 5 feet 8.5 inches (1.74 meters), who have completed basictraining with the Swiss Armed Forces and hold a professional diploma or highschool degree. As of 2024 there were 135 members of the guards.

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