Daily
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| Swiss Guards |
| Palatine Guards |
| Vatican Public Security |
| Ceremonial Guards |
Your answer was: Palatine Guards. |
Answer: The Palatine Guard was formed in 1850 by Pope Pius IX and largely performed a ceremonial role during the Vatican’s major Church and State events. The only time they actually saw active service was in 1870 when papal forces put up resistance to Italian government troops occupation of Rome. Often made up of Roman shop keepers and office clerks, the Palatine Guard also bravely guarded Vatican property throughout the Nazi occupation during World War II. The Vatican’s Palatine Guard was officially dissolved in 1970, but its former members still serve the Pope today. When he decreed the dissolution of the Guard in 1970, Pope Paul VI created the 'Association of Saints Peter and Paul' to replace it. This allowed the men to "work to carry on the good that the Palatine Guard had done for so many years". 'The Vatican Palatine Guard: A Postal History' article by Greg Pirozzi Vatican Notes Volume: 59; Issue: 349; Page: 8-10; 2011 
 Palatine Guard & Statue of St Peter - 100 Years 141-142 (1950) |
