For over 500 years, the Swiss Guard has protected the Vatican. Hired by Pope Julius II in 1506 for their loyalty and military might, these exclusively Swiss men serve the pope to this day. To join their ranks, you must be Catholic, single, between the ages of 19 and 30 — and Swiss, of course.

After completing military service, recruits head to the Guard school, where they commit to at least 26 months of service in the Vatican. Around 135 guards live in the Vatican barracks, speaking a mix of Swiss-German, French and Italian. Dario is one of them — ready to give everything for the Vatican and Pope Leo XIV, including his life.