- Camauro
A camauro (from the
Latin "camelaucum", from Greek "kamelauchion", meaning "camel skin hat") is a cap traditionally worn by thePope .Papal camauros are of red wool or velvet with white ermine trim and are worn, usually in winter, in place of the
zucchetto , which in turn takes the place of thebiretta worn by other members of the clergy. Like thebiretta worn by lower clergy and themortarboard worn by academics, the camauro derives from theacademic cap (the "pileus "), originally worn to protecttonsure d clerical heads from the cold. It is often worn with a shoulder winter cloak (mozzetta ), also sometimes fur-lined.The camauro has been part of the papal wardrobe since the
12th century . Until 1464, it was also worn by cardinals, without the ermine trim; from that date, the camauro became exclusively a papal garment and cardinals wore the scarletbiretta instead. The papal camauro fell into disuse after the death ofPope John XXIII in 1963, but it was revived in December2005 byPope Benedict XVI . Benedict's wearing the hat prompted comparisons toSanta Claus andFather Christmas in the media [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4551348.stm] ;St. Nicholas Thaumaturgos , who became the legendary Santa Claus, wasbishop ofMyra .ources and References
* [http://members.ozemail.com.au/~acolyte/Roman%20Catholic%20Vestments/camauro.html About the camauro]
* [http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/zucchetto.htm About the skull cap]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4551348.stm 'Santa Pope' woos Vatican crowds] (BBC News ,22 December 2005 ))
* [http://www.hatsuk.com/skullcaps.pdf History of the Skullcap] (PDF , p.21-22)
* [http://dappledphotos.blogspot.com/2005/12/camauro.html Various popes wearing the camauro on a church watching blog]
* [http://www.dieter-philippi.de/mydante_1479.html Pictures of Camauro and other clerical headgear, information and literature in German language]
* [http://www.dieter-philippi.de/images/2958_Camauro_white_2.jpgPicture of the white Camauro, only worn by the Pope during the Octave of Easter]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.