Peter's Square in the Vatican witnessed today, Friday, the traditional swearing-in ceremony for the regiment of new entrants to the "Pontifical Swiss Guard", the oldest and smallest army in the world, which celebrates this year its 500th anniversary.
Pope Francesco, 85, received the 36 new recruits in the Apostolic Palace, where they took an oath of allegiance and pledged their "respect, loyalty and obedience" to the Pope, who praised them and the importance of their mission.