Vatican City.- A member of the Swiss Guard fainted this Wednesday in front of the eyes of Pope Francisco during the traditional general audience in the Paul VI room of the Vatican.
An AFP photographer confirmed that the Swiss guard suddenly collapsed upside down, causing a great noise with his halberd and feathered helmet.
was immediately treated by the people around him, who helped him up. The episode lasted only about twenty seconds.
Thanks to the images of the incident, you can see Pope Francisco sitting in a large armchair upholstered in a white fabric while looking, with a worried look, despite his glasses, at the young guard in his official colorful outfit as he regains consciousness.
After about two minutes, the time it took for him to regain consciousness, the Swiss Guard had been escorted out of the Paul VI room.
Questioned by AFP about the causes of the fainting and the state of health of the Swiss guard, the spokesman for the Vatican assured that “it was probably a pressure drop”.
“He is fine now,” he added.
For many observers, it is possible that the famous uniform of the Swiss Guard with blue, yellow, and red stripes, a pleated collar of bright white cloth, and a light metal helmet with an ostrich feather is not suitable for the heat of the boreal summer. However, the vast Vatican room is air-conditioned.
In addition to the helmet with red feathers, since it was a halberdier in this case, the gala uniform includes baggy pants and a jacket with the famous white collar.
According to the AFP photographer, Pope Francisco approached the audience’s end to speak with a member of the Switzerland guard, which he doesn’t usually do.
The Swiss Guard is one of those military bodies that, despite its peculiar appearance, take its mission very seriously since it is dedicated exclusively to protecting the Pope. It is the smallest army in the world and the oldest, with more than 500 years of history.
It was created in 1506 by Pope Julius II, and throughout its history, it has had its ups and downs and has been on the verge of dissolution on several occasions.
At the beginning of his pontificate, in 2013, Pope Francisco praised “the professionalism” of the Vatican Swiss Guard. According to press rumors, the Argentine pope even offered a chair and something to eat to the Swiss Guard in charge of his night protection in front of his apartment in the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, where he is staying, since he did not want to move to the luxurious pontifical apartment in the apostolic palace.
The rigid rules of that historic body surprised the Latin-American Pope. He invited the bewildered young captain to rest after discovering that he had spent the entire night on his feet.
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As the guard refused because the rules prevented it, Francisco told him: “I’m the pope, and I’m asking you to sit down,” and offered him bread and ham.