VATICAN
CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican’s Swiss Guard, the colorfully dressed mini-army
that helps protect the pope, will have cooler heads. Their ancient metal helmets will be swapped for
ones made by 3-D printers.
The new
helmets, made of a thermoplastic, were distributed to the corps last month on
the 513th anniversary of their foundation as a mercenary force in 1506.
They are
nearly identical in appearance to the previous version and bear the coat of
arms of Pope Julius II, who first used the corps for his personal protection.
One of the
main advantages of the new helmets is that they will not heat up like the metal
ones, so the guards will sweat less.
The old
helmets, made in Austria, weighed two kilograms, while the new ones, made in
Switzerland, weigh 570 grams.
The 110 men
of Swiss Guard wear the ceremonial uniforms of yellow, red and blue stripes at
official papal services such as masses and visits by heads of state.
If you want to get more information on the Swiss Guard, click on the Play Button below
Article from Reuters (edited)
