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What are the Pontifical Swiss Guards?

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    Secrets of the Vatican revealed

  • Duration 4:03
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You -- well they're known as the world's smallest army but they play a big role in Vatican City the pontifical Swiss guards.

Have been protecting the Pope for more than 500 years and although they are not allowed to speak to the -- In less addressed our next guest says he often had conversations with Pope John Paul the second.

I guess he was addressed joining us right now and -- swimmer he's a former Swiss guard and author of this book the Pope and the CEO.

Well first -- how did you get to be a Swiss guard and as you get to go to the Vatican.

That is Swiss guards is actually foreign legion of Switzerland so it's not associated with the with the government of Switzerland at all.

And you basically -- it and -- then it's a competitive kind of fab process to get in and get accepted.

And you ended up protecting and actually befriending.

John Paul the second and I read that you said.

He was the most fully human person.

You ever met in your life what does that.

Mean.

You -- -- when I went to the Vatican I wasn't particularly.

Practicing my Catholic faith.

And I you know I grew -- in -- cradle Catholic but I don't like many people I I sort of didn't on the standard didn't.

Quite practice to faithfully.

And so I -- in a way that was a blessing because I got to know him to meet him just as a you know man to man if you wish he was -- it was quite a bit older than me of course.

And so when night started to interact with him I just have to -- This huge impression of him.

That I remember one they've -- seeing him and he -- he did all these things very well he was a very bad purposely lived very purposely.

And I thought of watching -- -- -- whatever that man has that's what I want because he list.

The best I can say is he -- -- life and you know most authentically than I've ever seen anybody -- -- -- that one story where you are upset because you -- home to be with your family on Christmas.

He prayed for you launching -- and -- -- really warm feeling about that your relationship.

But I want you to bring us inside the Sistine Chapel.

Right now would that be a great place in your mind to be a Swiss guard to oversee this process.

While this was -- don't really oversee -- they do the security right outside the Sistine Chapel.

But he would be of course a huge honor to be one of the -- whose stance that right now but it's boring isn't.

I think that date.

If if the average person would be inside the Sistine Chapel I think they would premarket pretty -- be pretty -- this is not a political event this is not some kind of rally.

This is a prayer meeting.

Yes and you said that's interesting because I was thinking -- would be great to be a fly on the wall.

Inside the conclave right now but I read in your notes do you say all they really do.

Is vote and Friday.

And it's your theory that that the cardinals aren't really lobbying to become -- because really this was -- -- -- -- I don't think that anyone of the cardinals really wants to be Pope five.

I've had -- I was very privileged to see firsthand in the first two days sort of the first row seat to seeing what it is and how it is to be Pope.

And I think most -- every cardinal knows that.

And being a Pope means you give up your lives as one of the signs that they give up their name and and to adopt an end to choose a new name.

It is that they pretty much give up their private life thrusting -- -- bit Pope Benedict said.

That he felt that says that he sort of prayed when he was in the Sistine Chapel to say please -- domain don't do this to me let me go home and two bit and basically retire.

But if god had other plans and so he except that the vote and I think that any hope that's gonna bid that's gonna come out of -- that balcony in the next few days.

Is gonna accept -- have -- passes.

Soft that office so you just that you're seeing how -- thought they -- -- to be Pope on some levels.

-- much nicer to be a cardinal then to be a -- Good to now I'll be vice president the president if it in the -- would read the book is the Pope and the CEO thanks parents it's.

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