The Strangest Army on Earth | Inside the Vatican's Swiss Guard | ENDEVR Documentary

Bahrain, on the border with Saudi Arabia, a small Muslim country about to experience an exceptional event. The visit of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, right in the heart of the Muslim world. It's a symbolic event, but the atmosphere is tense. This morning, Pope Francis is preparing to celebrate Mass in this Catholic Church in the heart of the capital, Manama. Inside, men dressed in black are keeping watch. They are the Pope's personal guard. Marco is the team leader. He and his men have already secured the church. All the worshippers have been checked. Pope Francis appears in a wheelchair. He has a knee problem that prevents him from walking. For the men in black, the critical moment is his entrance to the church. The Pope's appearances often cause hysteria among the faithful, who are only a few inches away from him. At 87, the pontiff is frail. It is vital to avoid a movement of the crowd that could injure him. The men in black will keep watch over the audience throughout the mass. They are not just bodyguards, but soldiers, all from Switzerland. They are the Pope's army. They are called the Swiss Guards, and they have all sworn to give their lives for the Holy Father. The Swiss Guards live in Italy, right in the heart of Rome, in Vatican City. With their multicolored uniforms and medieval halberds, they often seem quaint to the tourists visiting St. Peter's Square. What most people don't realize is that these men are real soldiers trained in combat and close protection. the pope like any head of state is a potential target in 1981 Jean-Paul II was the victim of an attack in Saint Peter's Square it was a traumatic experience for the Swiss Guards who have now reviewed all their security arrangements for Pope Francis the pope currently represents 1.5 billion catholics accompanied by his entourage he He travels to the four corners of the world to meet the faithful. Exceptionally, we were able to go behind the scenes on one of his trips. I'm visiting the 32nd country with the Pope, and it's always stressful. Hello Caroline, how are you? Today, the Swiss Guards form an army of 135 men, all of whom have taken an oath to lay down their lives for the Sovereign Pontiff. If someone runs with a knife against the Pope, I wouldn't say that I would be proud of that person, but I think it's necessary for the good of the Church. An army with rituals from a bygone age and traditional weapons forged by an Austrian family whose methods have not changed since the Middle Ages. The hook is to pull down and the splint to stand. They are 20 years old and have agreed to put two years of their lives on hold to serve their faith and the Pope. Or these young men whose lives seem to be out of sync with the modern world. We're going deep into the heart of the Vatican's mysterious army. Every year, the Vatican recruits its troops from Switzerland. It is a 500-year-old tradition that the Pope is protected by soldiers from Switzerland. We are in Freiburg, in the heart of French-speaking Switzerland. This is where Leo has lived all his life. But at the age of 20, he's about to make a radical change. In a few days' time, he'll be leaving for Rome to serve the Pope. Léo has already done his military service. It's compulsory in Switzerland. His bedroom has unusual decorations for a boy of his age. religious pictures, a photo of John Paul II, and miniature Swiss guards. For this young man, it's a childhood dream come true. I've been dreaming about it since I was a child. What an honor to be so close to the Pope. And then I thought to myself, what an honor to be able to integrate the Swiss Guard, all that we can learn about it, all the historical aspects of the Vatican, of religion, the military side. There are a lot of things that interest me, that intrigue me, that are united in one and the same place. And I think that since it's a unique chance, why not take it and go for it? He applied a few months ago and was accepted. The Vatican then asked him to sign this surprising letter of commitment. I attest by now that I am a Swiss citizen, practice the Roman Catholic faith, live according to the morality of the Church. A solemn undertaking in which Léo declares his willingness to defend the Pope, whatever the cost. Léo's decision to sign up was no accident. His father, now a social worker, was himself a Swiss guard 30 years ago. Here he is, in full uniform, in the 1990s. I had the same age as Leo when he left. It's something extraordinary and I only remember good memories. Leo meets all the criteria required by the Vatican. He is Swiss, single, a practicing Catholic, over 1.74 meters tall and has completed his military service. His parish priest was also asked for a character reference. Hello. Hello. How are you? Good. I'm coming to get my suit. It's ready. It's ready. Wonderful. The final requirement before his departure is a black suit. The suit worn by Swiss guards when they travel with the Pope. Are you a little stressed? A little, yes. We're leaving our little comfort zone. There's the excitement of going on an adventure. And everything that is also saying goodbye to his family, the goodbyes, it's weird too, it's all weird. Like all new recruits, Léo has signed up for 26 months with the Swiss Guards. It's the first time he has left home for such a long period. Rome, a few days later, the 14 new recruits to the Swiss Guard enter the Vatican. Léo is one of them. These young men are of course attracted by the military aspect of this adventure, but that's not all. They are all faithful and committed Catholics, like Gregoire. Every year, the Vatican recruits around 30 Swiss guards. They discover the barracks where they will live for the next two years. A long corridor leading to spartan rooms. No doors. Barely eight square meters and two narrow beds. They have a few minutes to settle in and put on their costumes under the watchful eye of their instructor, René, who has been a Swiss guard for six years and demonstrates a very German rigour. It's always a very special world here in the Vatican. We have to explain well how important it is to respect and we certainly expect a lot of discipline. For some, there's a bit of a panic. They try to manage with the help of tutorials found on the internet. Is this the first time? No, it's been a long time. It's been a long time since I've done it again. With the army, when we did it once, we didn't do it anymore, we had to do it again. And while they are all dressed up in their best suits, it's not for a welcome party. The young recruits have been here for less than an hour, and they will immediately be immersed in the atmosphere of the Vatican, a mass celebrated in the chapel reserved for Swiss Guards. They all know that they are entering a different world, a closed universe governed by age-old rules and forbidden to ordinary mortals. The Vatican is a mysterious and secret place. There is, of course, the well-known face, the one that tourists see, St. Peter's Square and Basilica, which have six million visitors every year. with all the folk heritage the religious trinkets and the unmissable photos of Pope Francis but above all the Vatican is the seat of Christianity an independent state right in the heart of Rome the smallest state in the world just half a square kilometer but it's from here that the Pope reigns over 1.5 billion Catholics in the Vatican he is all-powerful along with Saudi Arabia, his is the last absolute monarchy ruling by divine right. It's a place of influence and power surrounded by high walls riddled with surveillance cameras. The Vatican is permanently protected outside its borders by the army and by the Italian police force. Inside by a group of Italian gendarmes and by the Swiss guards who have been providing security for the Pope for over 500 years it all began in the 16th century when Pope Julius II decided to hire an army of 150 Swiss mercenaries for his protection at the time these Swiss warriors were renowned for their bravery in battle and above all their unfailing loyalty amazingly their tradition has continued and the Swiss Guards have retained their iconic armor and uniform from then to today a uniform that That Gregoire and Léo, like all the new recruits, dream of donning. For the moment, they only have the shoes. It's the day their uniforms are fitted. The Swiss Guards' tailors' workshop is located in the barracks. All the uniforms are made to measure here. The person in charge here is Ettie Ciccioni. He makes over 50 uniforms a year. The tailor has worked for three popes since he started this job. The Swiss Guard's uniform is a legacy of the Italian Renaissance. 154 pieces of wool assembled entirely by hand. It's always nice to see them in reality, but without ever being able to put them on. And now, to be able to take the measurements and to be able to touch them, to be able to gently put them on little by little, it's really nice. It's over. Thank you. It's over. During their two-year service, the Swiss Guards live almost exclusively inside the Vatican. They almost never go out. They eat and sleep in the barracks. After four months in the dormitory, Gregoire now has a room with a view of the city of Rome. In Switzerland, I had a view of the mountains, which I like a lot too, but here, having a view of the Château de Saint-Ange, of the historical monuments, it changes a lot too, and I like it a lot. Gregoire's life is quasi-monastic, the life of a soldier monk entirely dedicated to the Pope. When you put on the uniform, you represent an institution that has been around for more than two millennia. What you represent with the uniform is the Holy Father, it's the Church, and that's just impressive. Gregoire is on call day and night. Like all the new recruits, his role is to keep watch over the entrances to the Vatican. Gregoire, like his colleagues, has no time off at weekends. And only 30 days holiday a year. They sometimes work up to 60 hours a week. But in return, these young soldiers are entitled to a few privileges, such as free access to places normally off-limits to ordinary mortals, including the Vatican Gardens, an incredible oasis of greenery in the heart of the capital. The gardens make up more than half the surface area of the Vatican. They are normally reserved for the priests, monks, and nuns who live there, but the Swiss guards can train there whenever they like. It's really a green lung, it allows me to breathe a little too, and I have to say that we are very lucky to have that, because all the people who live around here in Rome and who do not have access to these gardens, they do not have access to this nature, this calm. If we follow all the paths in the race, we do everything, it's 22 km, I did it once. It's a big labyrinth, but that's it. In the evenings, there is little time for relaxation. The guards can leave the Vatican whenever they like, but they rarely have the time. So Leo and his friends never venture very far into Rome. Their base is a bar just 200 meters from the Vatican walls. They try to get together there at least once a week. beer but no more. Because even when they are not on duty, the Swiss guards represent the Pope. Even in this bar, they are practicing their religion. You don't have the impression of being completely against the current world? Is it not the current world that is against us? It's possible. But how far do the Vatican's religious rules influence their private lives? When you become a Swiss guard, do you make a wish of chastity? No. Of course not. No. We are not priests, we are guards, we are soldiers. You know that a lot of people think that? After 5 years, we have the right to get married at the Swiss train station. So no, we don't have the right to get married at the train station. We have the right to have a family, a little friend, on the outside. I have a girlfriend in Switzerland. In Switzerland? Yes, in Switzerland. You had one before? I had one before, yes. When she told you, when you told her, I'm leaving the Swiss Guard for two years, what did she say? Ah, well, it's clear that she wasn't very happy at the beginning, that's clear. I knew that if I didn't do it, I was going to regret it all my life. So, she knew that I was leaving for two years, but then, for a long time, saying that it wasn't easy to convince her and all that. But then, if it works now, it can work forever. Swiss Guards have the right to live with a woman in the Vatican. But there are two conditions. They must be married, and they must have at least five years' seniority. In the barracks, things are getting serious. The young recruits have to become soldiers as quickly as possible. And this accelerated training is provided by instructors from the Swiss Army. The Swiss Confederation covers half the cost of military training for the Vatican's Swiss Guard. In the mountains of Ticino, in the heart of Italian Switzerland, is the training center for the country's special forces. This is the base for the military training of new recruits to the Swiss Guard. All these young men have already completed four months' military service, but this is a whole new world for them. This course lasts a month, and the young men will be learning close combat techniques with with the special forces of the Swiss police. The aim is to be able to subdue a dangerous individual who has slipped in among the tourists in St. Peter's Square. It's the first time that Gregoire has done this type of close protection exercise. It's not just that, and yes, I like it, it's also a responsibility that the Swiss Guard must assume, which is at the level of the threats of today. For the Vatican, the main danger is not an attack by a terrorist group, but rather the act of an unbalanced person trying to kill the Pope when he is in contact with the faithful. Since taking office, Pope Francis has sought to be close to the people. He is making more and more public appearances, and this is giving those responsible for his security a cold sweat. Swiss Guard barracks, 5 a.m. A day of high tension begins for Rene, the corporal. Because today is the Easter Mass, and he will be the Holy Father's bodyguard. For greater discretion, he'll be wearing civilian clothes. the black suit, and this rather special tie. This is mainly used for close-up services, to avoid this, that they can take you by the tie. You can pull it like this and then tear it. It's even faster to put it on. Rene practices boxing and combat sports. On his walls next to the crucifix, there are photos of Mike Tyson. At 29, he is one of the elite of the Swiss Guard. There are around 30 of them providing close protection for Pope Francis. He is equipped with handcuffs, tear gas and a semi-automatic pistol, which he is not allowed to show to the camera. On Easter Day, 80,000 pilgrims are expected in St. Peter's Square, where the Pope will celebrate Mass. The Vatican is on its highest state of alert. The entire square is closely monitored. Swiss guards are patrolling the rooftops. At ground level, Italian gendarmes control access. This is the most important day of the year for Catholics. the faithful are celebrating the resurrection of Christ and tradition dictates that the Pope will celebrate Mass in the open in front of St. Peter's Basilica. But for Rene and the Swiss Guards the most difficult time is after Mass when the Pope meets the faithful in his open white car, the famous Pope Popemobile. Despite the risks and despite his age, at 87, Pope Francis is determined to reach out to the faithful. René is taking the lead. That's him at the bottom left of the screen at the front. He is scanning the crowd. Like all the other Swiss guards, he is thinking of the attack on John Paul II more than 40 years ago. 1981. In exactly the same place, St. Peter's square. John Paul II was among the faithful. Suddenly, a man in the crowd fired. The Pope collapsed, shot in the abdomen. He was rushed to hospital, and his life only just saved. It was a traumatic experience for the Swiss guards, who have since tightened all their security protocols. And up till now, there have been no further serious incidents. At the end of the ceremony, the Swiss guards march past in full armor and uniform. A spectacle some spectators find moving but that day there were no new recruits among the troops on parade the new boys haven't reached the required level of skill they have to go through essential exercises one of which they particularly dread the sentry exercise. Gregoire, Léo, and their colleagues have to stand completely still and silent for one hour, holding a halberd. And strangely, you have to be taught how to remain motionless. René, the corporal, supervises the exercise. He tests the recruits' endurance one by one. After 30 minutes, Grégoire starts to weaken. While Grégoire is struggling for the right position, Léo sails through the test. It is also important to check that they do not change color in the face to be prepared in case someone is really sick, that we are ready. Has it ever happened that someone felt sick? Yes, we had during this exercise. Sentry duty is an important part of the job. They can spend up to four hours a day guarding the entrances to the Vatican. But the Pope doesn't always stay within the walls of his city. He also regularly travels around the world to meet the faithful and does not hesitate to go to countries considered to be high risk. The officers of the Swiss Guard are responsible for organizing his travel. They have agreed that we can accompany them on their next trip. Rome Airport at 7 o'clock in the morning. In the hall is the delegation that will accompany the Holy Father on his official visit. Around 60 journalists from all over the world. Among them is Caroline Pigozzi from Paris Match, who has been a Vatican expert for 25 years. She is one of a privileged group who meet the Pope on a regular basis. And she has her own methods for getting on well with Pope Francis. Pope Francis travels abroad about ten times a year. He is the spiritual leader of one and a half billion Catholics around the world. It's a figure that is constantly rising. While the number of Catholics is falling in Europe, it is rising steadily in Asia and South America. Today, the pontiff is visiting Bahrain, a small Arab state on the border with Saudi Arabia where 80% of the population is Muslim. The Pope has decided to go there to support the Christian minority living there. Around 30 gendarmes and Swiss guards will provide security for the pontiff for the entire trip. The Pope is traveling at the front of the plane, on the other side of this curtain. But whenever he travels, he comes to greet the journalists. Today I'm very hurt. I don't feel like doing the tour, but it would be a pleasure if you did the tour yourself. I'll say goodbye here. Thank you. One by one, the journalists then file past the Holy Father. What did you bring? This. A little teghe. A little teghe. If you move, I'll bring you a sculpture. It's bigger and bigger. This is the only time in the whole trip when journalists can talk face-to-face with the Pope. After a six-hour journey, the plane lands in Manama, the capital of Bahrain. Bahrain is a small kingdom of 1.5 million people that has built its wealth on oil. It is a monarchy ruled with an iron fist by King al-Khalifa. But this Muslim country is known for its tolerance of other religions. Which is not common in this part of the world. For Bahrain, a visit from the Pope is a sign of prestige. The Sovereign has arranged a sumptuous welcome worthy of the greatest head of state. The pomp and circumstance does not fit easily with the habits of Pope Francis, who makes his entrance seated next to his driver in a Fiat 500. The car is a sign of political will by Pope Francis. He has decided to make sobriety and modesty the watchwords of his pontificate. For Pope Francis, these diplomatic journeys to Muslim countries are essential. They give him direct access to the leaders, so he can plead the cause of isolated Christian communities in these parts of the world. The Pope actually is behind the peace in all of the world. So this is a very important thing. It's a historic visit, it's an important visit, and it allows us to strengthen this dialogue between religions. But what's most important for the Pope is tomorrow, when he will meet the kingdom's 80,000 Catholics. In Bahrain, the faithful are all immigrant workers from Asia, mainly from the Philippines, Pakistan, and India. Jason is one of them. He's looking forward to the public high mass that the Pope will celebrate tomorrow morning. He has invited his entire family to his flat for the occasion. My mother, my mother-in-law, and my wife. She has two sisters here. There are 15 of them in all. They come from Kerala in the south of India, where 20% of the population is Catholic. Jason came to Bahrain 17 years ago. He is an accountant and his wife is a nurse. For this family, the Pope is a real star. Via social networks, they follow his every move almost in real time. Sheena, Jason's sister-in-law, has found a video that has particularly moved her. It shows the Pope meeting the journalists on the plane. If I see that video itself, you know, I'm more emotional, you know. You know, and some, like, it's very, like, speechless. Would you be jealous of the journalists? Of course, of course, you know. Yeah, like, you know, rarely, rarely, you know, people can get a chance like this. Tonight, as every evening, the family is praying before this altar dedicated to Christ and the Virgin Mary. The mass is tomorrow morning, but the whole family is already getting dressed up. I'm prepared to see my dream of a lifetime of Francis tomorrow. Tonight, no one will sleep because they already have to leave to make sure they have a place in the stadium where the ceremony is going to take place. When they arrive, thousands of people from all over the kingdom are already forming a queue. It's never happened in my life, the first time ever I'm waiting such a long queue. It will take them four hours to get through all the security checks. The Swiss guards are already on site. The last inspection before the Pope arrives. Marco is the team leader. This is his tenth official journey. We look at the space for the mobile Pope, we also look at these books for the transgenders, and so on. if there are volunteers to secure the perimeter, and so on. Obviously, we can't lower the guard, so this is a factor to keep in mind. There's always a bit of tension. From the stands, Jason is watching them with envy. How lucky they are to follow the Pope everywhere, anywhere he moves. I want to use this card, please. Brothers and sisters, His Holiness Pope Francis, warm welcome In the stands, there are 30,000 faithful Catholics, mainly from Asia. They are representative of the new Catholics the Pope wants to address. The mass will take place without incident, in the heart of this Muslim country, back in Rome. After eight months of continuous training, the young Swiss guards have gained in confidence. Leo, the young man we filmed leaving his family, has been transformed. It's an incredible experience. I always like it. I always say that it's always the best choice I've made in my life. Everything we can live is at the level of emotions, at the level of learning. I also feel much safer, much more relaxed, we are much calmer. There are a lot of people who say that there is a huge change between the beginning of the two years and the end of the two years, where people are often much calmer. Military training has been stepped up. Today, the recruits are being trained to respond to a terrorist commando attack in the heart of the Vatican. Once again, instructors from the Swiss Army have come to Rome to train the recruits on-site in real-life situations. The objective is to identify and neutralize people with weapons. The exercise begins behind this door. The scenario is that terrorists have broken into the Vatican basements. They are armed and have taken hostages. Room on the right, room on the left, and I take right. Room three. Leo and his colleague must learn to control their stress. Their aim is to neutralize the attackers without harming civilians. Inspired by their faith, Leo and Gregoire are ready to give their lives to protect the Holy Father. When we come here, we know that we will have to give our life, we would not have to think about it, it's there and we do it. Ready to be killed and ready to kill. Would it not be a problem for you to kill in the name of God? I think, I don't know, it makes me think a lot, yes, precisely, because killing in the name of God, it's still the worst thing we can do, but I think if someone runs with a knife You can't always turn the other cheek. Located in the heart of the Vatican, the armory bears witness to a long military tradition. The helmets and breastplates, some of which date back to the 16th century, are still used by the Swiss Guards. Some suits of armor, like this one, are worth a small fortune. Although it doesn't look it, this is a recent suit of armor. But it is forged in the traditional way entirely by hand. The Vatican has managed to find an astonishing family of blacksmiths to make it. They live in Austria at the foot of the Alps and work in the purest tradition of medieval blacksmiths. Johann and his brother Georg come from a family of craftsmen whose lineage dates back to the 14th century. Their family name, Schmiedberger, literally means the blacksmiths from the mountain. The next generation is already here. Maximilian, Georg's son, is just 14 and already works full-time in the workshop. Today, the family forges all the traditional weapons of the Swiss Guard. A suit of armor takes between 100 and 400 hours to make. But at the moment, they are finishing the latest order from the Vatican for halberds, the iconic weapon of the Swiss mercenaries. It has so many functions that jokers say it's the ancestor of the Swiss knife. 500 years ago, the Swiss Guards were almost all exterminated when Emperor Charles V took the Vatican. Every year, to commemorate their sacrifice, new recruits to the Guards swear an oath on the 6th of May, the anniversary of the massacre. In a few hours' time, Leo and his friends will be swearing their loyalty to the Pope. For the occasion, they will all be donning the famous armor. Fifteen kilos of steel they will have to carry for six hours straight. We swear our life, our loyalty, to always be there for the Pope and never to leave. Even after we have finished our two years of service, we are always on guard, even after. It's for life. It's not for sale. A rite of passage that Léo's parents are looking forward to. 32 years ago, on the same spot, his father also took the oath. You have the impression that they become a man, Leo? Yes, they fly away. They fly away, yes. They fly away. Yes. Exceptionally, the families of the young recruits are allowed into the heart of Vatican City. These 36 boys, just out of their teens, will swear to serve Pope Francis and his successors. To the death, if need be. Grégoire's voice is full of passion. After two years' service, Léo and Grégoire will have to make a choice, return to Switzerland and become ordinary citizens again, or join up and carry on the tradition over 500 years old. Of these, the last Swiss mercenaries who protect the Pope.