Although there is no desi pope, there is one desi member of the Swiss Guard. Dhani Bachmann was sworn in as the first ever non-white Swiss guard four years ago. 
Private Bachmann was adopted by a Swiss family at 5 and speaks only German, which helps explain how he could join an elite group whose members are comprised solely of Catholic Swiss, mainly recruited from a handful of small villages.
At the time, one news source snarkily reported the story in the following way:
First Black Man Ever To Protect The Pope
For the first time in the more than 500 year history of the Swiss Guards, the group of 200 soldiers who protect the Pope in Rome, a non white man has been allowed to take his place in their ranks. Private Dhani Bachmann was born in India but adopted by a Swiss family and taken to live there when he was 5. He therefore is eligible to join the guards as he is Swiss. He is now apparently trying to learn Italian so that he can explain to people in Rome why he is not white. [Link]
The Swiss Guard are the Pope’s private army, founded 500 years ago on January 22nd, 1506. They had their origins in the “Swiss mercenary detachments that served as bodyguards and ceremonial guards at foreign European courts from the late 15th century on” and once guarded the Royalty of France and Austria as well. Soon after they were founded, in 1527, “147 of the 189 Guards, including their commander, died fighting the forces of Charles V during the Sack of Rome.”
Today, they are half their original size, with only 100 soldiers. After the 1981 attempt to assasinate Pope John Paul, their non-ceremonial duties and training have been beefed up; their training involves unarmed combat and the use of modern weaponry in addition to the traditional Halberd. Still, they’re best known for their colorful uniforms which, according to legend were first designed by Michaelangelo.
This job combines tradition and religious service in the short term with the potential to make a lot of money in the long term – how typically Swiss!
Swiss Guards sign on for a minimum of two years. Many leave the Pope’s military service for lucrative jobs with some of the world’s best-known security services and banks. [Link]
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Dhani Bachmann being sworn in or Vinod making a gang sign? |
I’ll be lucky enough to be in Rome this summer — I’ll keep my eye out for Dhani Bachmann when I visit St. Peter’s.
Looks like we just might have gotten a preview of Vinod’s costume for Halloween this year…
I’d love to see that. Does not look like the most sensible of uniforms…
despitehaving been designed (aparently) by Michelangelo.that is too funny… how did you come across this story? hm… i was reading how this ‘army’ was just honored a few days ago… pretty cool beans.. the brownies have infiltrated the vatican ;)… nice job!
Whoa. I don’t normally see resemblances*, but homeboy really does look a little like V-a-L. . . .that’s kind of uncanny.
*Though I drove some friends insane at Paheli by insisting that Rani Mukherjee, whom I had never seen for any great length of time before, looks exactly like a Bengali version of an Icelandic friend of ours. Every time she smiled a particular way I’d jump.
now if only they could get a desi pope in! ah, indeed though…awsome story!
Saheli – VaL? ‘splain …
Vinod at Large. 🙂
I saw the story the other day about the Swiss Guard’s 500 year anniversary celebration and couldn’t help but keep checking back on SM for a story about a desi having infiltrated the system… I KNEW in my heart there had to be one.
my first thought was also “what’s up with vinod’s weird outfit?”
After being forced to wear that outfit, I should hope the jobs were lucrative!
Having been part of Vinod’s crew this Halloween, I gotta say – that outfit is definitely within the realm of possibility for next year!
Who dares out-pimp the King Pimp?
Actually, the Cardinal from Mumbai was considered a papabile in the last election, although a long-shot:
“Cardinal Ivan Dias of Bombay is one of the few prelates who can rival Pope John Paul’s linguistic ability; he is fluent in at least 17 languages. Another veteran of the Vatican diplomatic corps and the Secretariat of State, he now heads a huge diocese in an often hostile environment.”
Peter, you are indeed correct. Click on the words desi pope in the post above (or here) and you’ll find a post I wrote in April on precisely this subject.
yeah, the only thing is that one hasn’t quite made it to the full popehood yet. i wish they would. perosnally, was rooting for him myself.
Ennis (and all):
I lept before looking at all the links. Sorry!
Sweet fancy Moses. That is awe-some.
The browns have already infiltrated Vatican. If you visit the Vatican, you’ll see brown ushers everywhere. I asked one and he told me he was from Kerala. And you see many Filipino ushers as well. But of course a brown member of the Swiss guards is quite unprecedented.
Unbelievable— I just visited that place last summer. I wish I would have waited. That rocks— can’t wait for a Brown Pope— I can just imagine the smorgasborg of curried vegetarian dishes come lent— mmmmmm.
Imagine a troupe of these guys running at an offender? We shouldn’t have to, it should be part of a daily variety show… too funny.
The honeybee line is a little less ridiculous. Only a little bit, though.
wow they even have action figures!
That’s some fro.
Okay im done.
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