Graf said many of the guardsmen knew Bishop Francesco Cavina of Carpi, one of stricken towns, because the bishop had worked in the Vatican Secretariat of State until November."

The guardsmen "wanted to make themselves available to help him," Graf said, so they got permission from the commander of the Swiss Guards and from top Vatican officials.

Although they left behind their colorful Renaissance uniforms, the guards did do quite a bit of guard work: They provided security at the Carpi hospital and at a public health facility in Mirandola.

Graf said the men also did some manual labor, drawing on their pre-Guard experience as carpenters, farm workers, mechanics, cooks, electricians and mechanics.

The vice commander said he thinks the guards will remember their humanitarian-aid experience forever, not just because they were able to help, but also because "helping people after an earthquake is not very common in Switzerland."

Msgr. Alain de Raemy, chaplain of the guard, told L'Osservatore Romano, "These three free days that the young men offered to help the earthquake victims was the best way for them to spend their time."

The guards paid their own way to the region, the newspaper added.