How many Swiss Guards died during the 1527 Sack of Rome?
The Vatican’s Swiss Guards will swear in 32 new recruits Wednesday amid suggestions from their new commander that women might one day join their ranks. Col. Daniel Anrig said Tuesday he was open to the idea of women serving in the elite, 500-year-old papal security force, reversing the long-held position of his predecessors. “Personally, I could imagine it for one job or another, surely,” Anrig told private Mediaset television. “One could think about it.” He acknowledged there might be logistical problems, since the Vatican barracks housing the Swiss Guards are already crowded. “Sure, there could be problems, but every problem can be resolved,” he said. The housing crunch has long been cited by previous commanders as the reason why women couldn’t join. Anrig, a former Swiss police commander with a degree in civilian and church law, was tapped by Pope Benedict XVI to head the Swiss Guards last August. The 110-strong force provides ceremonial guard duty, assists at Vatican functions as w
147 Swiss Guards died during the 1527 Sack of Rome. According to history, Almost the entire guard was massacred by Imperial troops on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica. Of 189 guards on duty only 42 survived, but their bravery ensured that Pope Clement VII escaped to safety, down the passetto di Borgo, a secret corridor which still links the Vatican City to Castel Sant’Angelo. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.
