Pope John Paul II (Pape Jean-Paul II; Johannes Paul II. ; Karol Wojtyla ) received officers and enlisted soldiers of the Pontifical Swiss Guard (Garde Suisse; Schweizergardist ) on May 7; 2003 in the Clementine hall at the Vatican; one day after new members of the corps took their oath of allegiance and were sworn into active service. Pope Francis recalled the spirit of faithful service that animates the great legacy of sacrifice and heroism in his remarks to new recruits and their families. The Swiss Guards hold their swearing-in ceremony each year on May 6th; to mark the day in 1527 when 147 members of their corps gave their lives in a desperate rear-guard action that allowed Pope Clement VII to reach the safety of Castel Sant'Angelo while the soldiers of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V sacked the eternal city.