Joshua Bennett
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the head of the Catholic Church. The Pope's regalia and insignia include the triple crown, also known as the papal tiara or triregnum, which is a three-layered headdress. The crossed keys, one gold and one silver, represent the Pope's power on Earth and in Heaven. The Ring of the Fisherman, a gold ring decorated with a depiction of St. Peter, is another item of papal regalia. In addition to these symbols, the Pope also uses specific gestures, such as the sign of the cross, which Catholics are taught as children and is a reminder of God's love. The Pope's ordinary dress, or house dress, consists of a white cassock with a pellegrina, a pectoral cross, red papal shoes, and a white zucchetto.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| The Pope's role | The Bishop of Rome, the head of the Catholic Church, and the sovereign of the Vatican City State |
| The Pope's ordinary dress | A white cassock with an attached pellegrina, a girded white fascia, a pectoral cross suspended from a gold cord, red papal shoes, and a white zucchetto |
| The Pope's formal dress | A red cape with gold decoration or a red cape with a shoulder cape attached |
| The Pope's outdoor dress | A red or white cappello romano, a wide-brimmed hat |
| The Pope's personal arms | Two keys in saltire (one gold and one silver) behind the escutcheon, tied with a red cord, and a silver triregnum bearing three gold crowns and red infulae |
| The Pope's regalia | The triregnum (papal tiara), the mitre, the Ring of the Fisherman, the papal ferula |
| The Pope's symbols | The two crossed keys, the umbraculum (a canopy or umbrella with alternating red and gold stripes), the southern cross, the Chilean Catholic cross, the Atacama Giant, a vine, and a Mapuche cross |
| The Pope's signature | The Latin "Papa" ("Pope"), abbreviated as "PP." |
| The Sign of the Cross | A reminder that God is a communion of love, a sign of the central mystery of Christian faith |
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What You'll Learn
The Sign of the Cross
According to Pope Francis, each time a Catholic makes the Sign of the Cross, it serves as a reminder of God's nature as a communion of love. By performing this gesture, Catholics recall God's immense love for humanity, so profound that He sacrificed His life for us. The horizontal and vertical motions of the sign symbolise how God's love envelops us entirely, like an eternal embrace that never falters.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Sign of the Cross is also associated with the authority and power bestowed upon the Pope as the successor of St. Peter. The crossed keys, one gold and one silver, represent the Pope's jurisdiction on Earth and in Heaven. This symbolism is derived from Jesus' statement to Simon Peter in the New Testament, signifying the establishment of two realms: Earth and Heaven.
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The Keys of Heaven
The crossed keys feature prominently in papal regalia and insignia, including the pope's personal arms and the coat of arms of the Holy See and Vatican City State. The keys are placed beneath the triregnum, a headgear with three crowns or levels, which is another sacred symbol of the papacy.
In addition to its symbolic meaning, the Keys of Heaven also have a historical significance. During the Middle Ages, the pope exerted significant governmental control over the Papal States, and the keys represented his temporal power in these earthly domains. While the pope's temporal authority has diminished in recent centuries, the Keys of Heaven continue to be a powerful symbol of the spiritual authority of the papacy.
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The Pope's Regalia
The most famous item of the Pope's regalia is the Triregnum, also called the Tiara or Triple Crown. It is a cone-shaped headdress composed of three levels or crowns, giving the impression of an elaborate beehive adorned with jewels and an orb and cross on top. The first crown was added in the 900s to represent the Pope's authority over the Papal States, the second crown was added in 1298 to emphasize the Pope's spiritual dominion, and the third crown was added a century later, perhaps to indicate the Pope's supreme spiritual and moral authority over earthly kings. Popes wore the Triregnum during processions for several centuries, but during liturgies, they used an episcopal mitre instead. The Tiara was removed as part of the Pope's official vestments in the 1960s, with Pope Paul VI being the last Pope to wear it on 30 June 1963.
Another important item of the Pope's regalia is the Ring of the Fisherman, a gold ring decorated with a depiction of St. Peter in a boat casting his net, with the name of the reigning Pope surrounding it. The Fisherman's Ring is placed on the newly elected Pope's finger by the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church and is used to seal papal documents. On the Pope's death, the Cardinal Chamberlain smashes the ring with a hammer to symbolise the end of the Pope's authority.
Other items of the Pope's regalia include the papal pallium, a vestment restricted to the Pope, which is a circular band of fabric with two pendants hanging down, ornamented with red crosses and fixed with golden pins. The Pope also wears the stole and cassock, and the fanon, a shawl made of alternating silver and gold stripes, although this has gone out of common use. The Pope wears red leather shoes outdoors, which are decorated with gold braiding and a gold cross, although the colour of the shoes has varied with different Popes.
Some items of the Pope's regalia have been discontinued, such as the Sedia gestatoria, a portable throne carried by twelve footmen in red uniforms, accompanied by two attendants bearing the Flabella, large ceremonial fans made of white ostrich feathers. The Pope also no longer uses the crozier, a bent pastoral staff styled after a shepherd's crook, instead bearing the Papal Cross or Papal Ferula, a staff topped by a crucifix.
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The Fisherman's Ring
The tradition of kissing the ring of a cardinal or bishop dates back to at least the early 20th century, when Pope Pius X granted an indulgence to those who did so. However, Pope Paul VI abolished this custom, along with other acts of subservience to the pope, such as kissing the pope's foot and cheek. The practice of kissing the ring has endured, although some popes have discouraged it due to its connotations of clericalism and temporal power.
Upon the death of a pope, the Fisherman's Ring is ceremoniously destroyed, typically by being melted down, as a symbol of the end of the pope's authority. This act also serves a practical purpose, as it prevents the ring from being misused or replicated, which could lead to fraudulent claims of papal authority.
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The Umbraculum
In addition to its symbolic role, the umbraculum serves as the insigne of a basilica, representing the dignity of the basilica. It is sometimes carried in processions to signify this dignity. The umbraculum has also replaced the tiara on the Holy See's coat of arms during a sede vacante, or the period when there is no pope in office, as the Camerlengo administers the property of the Holy See during this time.
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Frequently asked questions
The crossed keys, one gold and one silver, represent the pope's power on Earth and in Heaven. The gold key, positioned on the right, symbolises the power of the Kingdom of Heaven, while the silver key represents the pope's spiritual authority on Earth.
The Ring of the Fisherman, also known as the Fisherman's Ring, is a gold ring decorated with a depiction of St. Peter in a boat casting his net, with the reigning Pope's name surrounding it. It is used to seal papal documents and was first mentioned in 1265.
The umbraculum, or ombrellino, is a canopy or umbrella consisting of alternating red and gold stripes. It is associated with the pope, who used to travel seated under a canopy. Today, it is a symbol of the papacy and features in ecclesiastical heraldry.
According to Pope Francis, the sign of the cross is a reminder that God is a communion of love. It symbolises the central mystery of Christian faith and is a reminder of God's love for humanity.
