Leo XIV’s Mysterious Meeting with the Swiss Guard
The fabricated story was recounted as follows:
The entire guard was lined up in silence in the Clementine Hall, waiting for the Pope to arrive. Looking tired but warm, Leo XIV entered alone and said, “I wanted to see you because I am going to tell you that Leo XIII had a prayer said to Saint Michael to protect the Church.”
He told them that, when he went out into the square, he had felt the weight of history, which had given him greater determination in his duty to proclaim the Gospel.
No one moved, all aware of the significance of the moment. Leo XIV told the Swiss Guard not to be afraid to proclaim the Gospel: 'To be Catholic today is to accept the cross.'
The Pope confessed that, at the most intense moment in the Sistine Chapel, he had felt fear — not fear of responsibility, but fear of a world moving away from God.
"When I remembered the prayer of Saint Michael, I wanted to share with you that today, I want us to take up a spiritual weapon", he said.
He looked at the halberds and began to recite: 'Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection.'
When he had finished, there was deep silence from the entire guard. “We are a Church that does not hide or apologise for its faith. From today onwards, guard the Church with the prayer of Saint Michael. Let it be part of your daily service.’
The commander then stepped forward and said, "Your Holiness, just as we have sworn to defend your life with ours, so too will we defend the faith with our prayers."
Pope Leo XIV blessed the weapons, touching the weapons of the front row with his fingers. He walked among the ranks, asking names:
“Marcel, how long have you been here?”
“Two months.”
“Then we will begin our service together.”
To a guard who had been in service for seventeen years, he said, 'You have seen a lot. What advice would you give to a Pope on his first day?”
‘Trust, Your Holiness, first in God and then in those of us who are here.’
The Pope replied, "That is exactly the advice I needed to hear today. Thank you."
Returning to the centre of the room, he said, "The whole weight of the Church will fall on these imperfect shoulders, but after being with you, I feel less alone in this mission. I ask you to pray for me, as I will pray for you. Together, every day, let us invoke the protection of St Michael over the Church and the world."
Picture: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk CC BY-NC-ND, #newsYdnwpufebf