# What is this horrid thing behind the pope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990 "2008-03-27T23:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/1 "2008-03-27T23:43:45Z")
It looks like a prop from some kind of satanic horror movie. Imagine being alone in the room with that thing? [http://evilrepublic.com/pope.jpg](http://evilrepublic.com/pope.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/2 "2008-03-28T00:15:35Z")
Who, the two clowns with Halberds? I think they’re guards of some sort. Or maybe the post-Papal-Mass entertainment. :: D&R :: Tripler “Watch in amazement as Santo balances plates!” Yat tah tah tah tah tah tah tah . . . ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/3 "2008-03-28T00:18:28Z")
OK, the top-and-center figure almost surely is the triumphant Christ, but search me if I can place this in context. A representation of the [Harrowing of Hell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell)? Or maybe, it’s supposed to represent when the Heavens open and Big JC comes down on Judgement Day. You can imagine Benedict, the bishops and the Swiss Guards thinking _“Man, back in the day, you looked at a sacred image or icon and you could TELL what it was supposed to be… old JP was right, artists these days just do whatever they want… then again, at least those guys in the second row look suitably intimidated.”_ ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/4 "2008-03-28T00:41:23Z")
Pericle Fazzini’s _Resurrection._ There are other perspectives of it that don’t look quite so demonic. From the Cafe Society thread [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461148&highlight=Sculpture](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461148&highlight=Sculpture) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/5 "2008-03-28T01:19:19Z")
The board locked up while I was opening the thread - I was so sure the answer was going to be ‘St. Peter’s Cross’ ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/6 "2008-03-28T01:29:34Z")
Jesus Christ! I mean, holy shit! What a backdrop, especially for _this_ pope… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/7 "2008-03-28T02:34:43Z")
It looks like Jesus has just defeated the evil trees from _The Wizard of Oz._ On a very windy day. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/8 "2008-03-28T02:41:58Z")
Do those Vatican Guards have to rely on those spears as their only weapon, or do they have pistols tucked beneath their tunics as well? It would seem that they’d have to - a medieval weapon would be of little use against an assassin wielding a gun. It would be _really_ badass if there was a Vatican Guard Special Forces, with SWAT-team-style body armor and helmets, but still with the same exact color pattern as the traditional uniforms. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/9 "2008-03-28T02:47:03Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Do those Vatican Guards have to rely on those spears as their only weapon, or do they have pistols tucked beneath their tunics as well? It would seem that they’d have to - a medieval weapon would be of little use against an assassin wielding a gun. It would be _really_ badass if there was a Vatican Guard Special Forces, with SWAT-team-style body armor and helmets, but still with the same exact color pattern as the traditional uniforms. [/QUOTE] They are the [Swiss Guard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_guard) and supposedly do carry concealed firearms and have a reputation for badassery. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/10 "2008-03-28T02:48:53Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Do those Vatican Guards have to rely on those spears as their only weapon, or do they have pistols tucked beneath their tunics as well? It would seem that they’d have to - a medieval weapon would be of little use against an assassin wielding a gun. It would be _really_ badass if there was a Vatican Guard Special Forces, with SWAT-team-style body armor and helmets, but still with the same exact color pattern as the traditional uniforms. [/QUOTE] Shhh! The halberds shoot beams of pure, unbridled godly energy. They’re ancient artifacts that haven’t been used in a while. Define “while?” Well… let’s just say that was the last time anyone ever saw Atlantis… Apparantly it seems after the last assassination they decided being only for show was a little dumb so they were trained in closed quarters self defense and issued the same small arms the Swiss army carries, which I’d assume includes a handgun ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/11 "2008-03-28T03:12:41Z")
[QUOTE=Absolute] What is this horrid thing behind the pope? [/QUOTE] The Catholic Church? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/12 "2008-03-28T03:28:47Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] The Catholic Church? [/QUOTE] You owe me a keyboard, and my immortal soul . . . ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/13 "2008-03-28T03:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Jragon] they were trained in closed quarters self defense and issued the same small arms the Swiss army carries, which I’d assume includes a handgun [/QUOTE] And a bitchin’ pocket knife with a built in corckscrew, of course. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/14 "2008-03-28T04:15:01Z")
[QUOTE=Absolute] It looks like a prop from some kind of satanic horror movie. Imagine being alone in the room with that thing? [http://evilrepublic.com/pope.jpg](http://evilrepublic.com/pope.jpg) [/QUOTE] That is crazy looking, I have no idea what it’s supposed to represent. It has a look of evil, though. Perhaps a modern-art version of the Resurrection? Creepy nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/15 "2008-03-28T06:18:06Z")
[QUOTE=MadPansy64] Pericle Fazzini’s _Resurrection._ There are other perspectives of it that don’t look quite so demonic. From the Cafe Society thread [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461148&highlight=Sculpture](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461148&highlight=Sculpture) 😉 [/QUOTE] Yes, better image [here,](http://www.scultura-italiana.com/Galleria/Fazzini%20Pericle/imagepages/image3.html) where one can see that the head isn’t actually that of some demon dog, which is what it looks like to me in the first pic. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/16 "2008-03-28T08:45:41Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Do those Vatican Guards have to rely on those spears as their only weapon, or do they have pistols tucked beneath their tunics as well? It would seem that they’d have to - a medieval weapon would be of little use against an assassin wielding a gun. [/QUOTE] I think their chief weapon is surprise, although I can’t imagine where they learned that from. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/17 "2008-03-28T09:05:51Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I think their chief weapon is surprise, although I can’t imagine where they learned that from. [/QUOTE] As well as ruthless efficiency, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/18 "2008-03-28T09:22:32Z")
…and fear… ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/19 "2008-03-28T09:33:51Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Do those Vatican Guards have to rely on those spears as their only weapon, or do they have pistols tucked beneath their tunics as well? [/QUOTE] The Swiss Guard (which justifies its name, btw, with the fact that actually only Swiss Catholics are allowed to enlist; goes back to the days when the Swiss had a reputation for being formidable soldiers and were popular as mercenaries all over Europe) is the personal guard of the Pope, and its members receive the usual training bodyguards get all over the world. They also staff the ceremonial guards you see on the photo, in their fancy uniforms (which, incidentally, were _not_ designed by Michelangelo, as a popular rumor claims). But the fancy guards are not armed with guns under their tunic; in addition to them, there are other guards in more civilian dresses in the crowd of visitors, and these are armed with state-of-the-art guns. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990/20 "2008-03-28T09:47:57Z")
It’s ugly. Hecka. From every angle. Sheesh! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-horrid-thing-behind-the-pope/442990.md?page=2)