"The Vatican Christmas Cookbook" is written by chef David Geisser, who is a former member of the Vatican's Swiss Guard, along with author Thomas Kelly. Read more

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin says he has seen two videos from ISIS over the past few days. One threatens Italy with a Barcelona-like terrorist attack. The other is more personal and directly threatens the Pope's life.

"Obviously, one cannot help but worry, above all for the senseless hatred that it is," Parolin says.

As far as the Vatican is concerned, he says it hasn't added more measures to its already high security.

Security is managed by the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State and the Swiss Guard.

The Swiss Guard is a small force maintained by the Holy See. It is responsible for the Pope's safety and the security of the Apostolic Palace.

It is perhaps "only a matter of time" before Rome is hit by a Barcelona-style attack but security forces are ready in case the Vatican is targeted, the head the Swiss Guard says.

The Gendarmerie Corps is the police and security force of Vatican City and the "extraterritorial properties of the Holy See Security".

Security has been stepped up at religious sites throughout Italy, including at the Vatican, since last year, when a truck driven by a suspected Islamist militant killed 86 people in the French city of Nice.

Source

• Reuters
• Time
• The Independent

The role of the Swiss Guards is to protect the Pope,

Although the Guards have both traditional and modern weapons, Pope Francis told the new recruits they won't be expected to sacrifice their lives in his service.

Instead, they must serve "the power of faith".

Saturday's date, 6 May, when the new recruits were sworn in, is an important anniversary for the Guards.

It was the date in 1527 when 147 Swiss Guards were killed protecting Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome.

Because of the Guard's historical ties to the Pope and the Church, it is important that the recruits selected are practising Catholics with a solid faith life.

These criteria are "fundamental," to becoming a Guard, their commander, Christoph Graf, says.

The recruits, who enroll for at least two years, must also meet additional entry criteria dating back 500 years to when the Swiss Guards were first created by Pope Julius II in 1506.

The recruits must be Swiss, single, between 19 and 30 years old and at least 1.74 metres tall.

Source:

• Euronews
• DailyMail
• Catholic News Agency
• Image: EpicPew