These are the events announced by the Pontifical Swiss Guard to mark its 500th anniversary

The Pontifical Swiss Guard will hold a commemorative year in 2027 to mark the 500th anniversary of the Sack of Rome. The program will center on the theme of enduring loyalty, reliability, professionalism, and solidarity to connect the unit's history with its current mission of serving the Pope.

Colonel Christoph Graf, commander of the Swiss Guard, said the year will serve as a period of remembrance and gratitude while highlighting the willingness of past guardsmen to sacrifice themselves. The anniversary honors the 147 guardsmen who died defending Pope Clement VII on May 6, 1527, and the 42 others who escorted the Pope to safety at Castel Sant’Angelo.

The commemorations will begin on January 23, 2027, with a symposium of historians in Brig. This opening event will feature a scholarly examination of the political, military, and religious circumstances surrounding the 1527 Sack of Rome.