Swiss guards stand outside St. Peter's Basicilca after the white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025 ...

Discover how the Swiss Guard balances tradition with modern security at Vatican City, protecting major events and ensuring Pope Francis's safety.

Questions about the museum-piece-looking guards and their capabilities come as the conclave begins within the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The guards have no part in the process.

The elite Swiss Guard watching over conclave have a dramatic role as papal bodyguards The answer to why the guards are the pope’s chosen protectors lies in their Renaissance-style uniform.

Thousands flooded through the walls of Vatican City as a procession of cardinals and pallbearers took the body of the late pontiff into St. Peter's Basilica.

The Swiss Guard was established by Pope Julius II in 1506. Here's what to know about the 500-year-old military body.