Objects To COVID-19 Vaccination, Three Of Pope Francis' Guards Vote To Resign

JAKARTA - Three members of the Vatican's Swiss Guard, the colorfully clad elite corps that protects Pope Francis, have decided to resign instead of being vaccinated against COVID-19, the Swiss newspaper Tribune de Geneva reported.

Following the implementation of the Vatican's Holy See's new COVID-19 measures, three Swiss guards have left on a 'voluntary' basis, a corps spokesman said, according to the newspaper.

Three other recruits, hitherto unvaccinated, have decided to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but are suspended until they have been vaccinated at full doses.

A spokesman for the Swiss Guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Please note, a health certificate showing proof of immunity to COVID-19 has been required to enter the Vatican from 1 October.

The so-called Green Pass, originally designed to facilitate travel between EU countries, shows a person has been vaccinated, tested negative, or has recently recovered from the coronavirus.

Especially for the Swiss Guard, who together with the Vatican police work near Pope Francis on a daily basis, are asked to demonstrate full dedication to the COVID-19 vaccination, not just a negative result.

Almost all of the guards were single men living in the barracks inside the Vatican gates. The commander and married members live in separate apartments. All members have Swiss citizenship.

Last October, four of them tested positive for COVID-19 in October last year. Meanwhile, citing Swissinfo, in the fall of 2020, eleven Swiss Guards tested positive and were isolated.

A spokesman for the Swiss Guard said protecting and maintaining the health of Pope Francis, 84, who is close to the faithful, was a challenge during the pandemic.