Together with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin, Mr Aebi and Mr Kuprecht were received in audience by His Holiness Pope Francis, followed by a meeting with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. The Swiss delegation, accompanied by Switzerland's ambassador to the Holy See, Denis Knobel, then proceeded to the Vatican's San Damaso Courtyard for the swearing-in ceremony.
The solemn oath of the Pontifical Swiss Guard is traditionally taken on 6 May to commemorate the 147 guardsmen who died protecting Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome in 1527. This year 34 recruits from different Swiss cantons took their oath of allegiance to the corps' flag, with the number of guests greatly reduced due to public health restrictions. In addition to the two parliamentary presidents and the federal president, Switzerland was also represented by Major General Roland Favre of the Swiss Armed Forces.
In Rome the Swiss delegation visited the Istituto Svizzero di Roma (ISR), Switzerland's main cultural institute in Italy. Founded in 1947 with Swiss government support, the ISR promotes cultural and academic exchange between the two countries.
The Swiss Guard corps ‒ currently led by Colonel Christoph Graf ‒ was founded by Pope Julius II in 1506 and is the smallest and oldest army in the world. In addition to protecting the Pope, the guardsmen stand watch at the official Vatican entrances and perform representational and public order duties at papal ceremonies and state receptions. They also accompany the Pope on apostolic visits and are responsible for protecting the College of Cardinals when the Holy See is vacant.