Pope Leo XIV has thanked the Swiss Guard for its service to the Church as 28 new recruits were sworn in at the Vatican, praising the spirit of fidelity and generosity behind their oath of allegiance.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday afternoon in the Vatican audience hall, where the new guards formally pledged themselves to the service and protection of the Pope. In brief remarks at the end of the event, Leo expressed his “esteem and gratitude” to the recruits and welcomed the presence of their families.

He said the oath they had taken reflected a fidelity rooted in youthful enthusiasm, faith in God and love for the Church. His words framed the ceremony not simply as a military formality, but as a visible act of Christian service bound up with vocation and sacrifice.

Earlier in the event, Commander Christoph Graf had paid tribute to the presence of the Pope, describing it as a sign of his closeness to the corps. He also welcomed representatives of the Swiss Confederation, church and political dignitaries, and guests from Thurgau, the canton invited for this year’s celebration.

Graf used his address to reflect on the meaning of service in modern life. He argued that the word is too often dismissed as empty, or treated as something degrading and opposed to personal fulfilment. In reality, he said, service lies close to the heart of what it means to be human.

For Christians, he added, that understanding finds its model in Christ Himself, who came not to be served but to serve. Such an example, Graf suggested, protects those entrusted with authority from arrogance or selfishness, because it reminds them that they are not above those whom they serve.

Applied to the Swiss Guard, that ideal means supporting the Holy Father with strength and vigilance so that he may carry out his ministry freely as successor of St Peter. Graf thanked the recruits for their willingness to embrace that task and expressed the hope that their years in the Guard would deepen both their personal maturity and their sense of calling.

The swearing-in of new guards remains one of the most recognisable ceremonies in Vatican life, combining military precision with a distinctly ecclesial understanding of duty. Leo’s presence at this year’s event gave added weight to that symbolism, underlining the bond between the Pope and the corps charged with his protection.