Swiss Guards praised by the pontiff

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI thanked the Swiss Guards on Saturday for their 500 years of service protecting popes, praising them as examples for all young people who want to serve the church.
Benedict recalled the colorful history of the elite papal corps during a special Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in honor of the anniversary of the corps' foundation.
Guards in their distinctive gold-and-blue striped uniforms sat in the front rows of the basilica and served as the readers during the service -- a rare change for the young men, who normally stand silently at attention during papal Masses.
Later Saturday, the guards returned to St. Peter's Square in full armor for the annual swearing-in ceremony for the 33 newest members of the corps. The ceremony is held May 6, commemorating the day in 1527 when 147 Swiss Guards died protecting Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome.
During the ceremony, the new recruits raised three fingers and swore to uphold the Swiss Guard oath to protect Benedict and his successors "and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them."
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