Zucchetto

The or , officially a , is a small, hemispherical, form-fitting ecclesiastical skullcap worn by clerics of the Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, and by senior clergy in certain denominations of Lutheranism, Anglicanism, and Methodism.

It is also called a , , , , , , , , or .

History The originated as the Paleo-Balkanic pileus and is related to the beret (which itself was originally a large ). The official name of the ——means "small " in Latin. Clerics adopted the style around the Early Middle Ages or earlier, to keep their heads warm and to insulate the tonsure. The name derives from its resemblance to half a pumpkin. It is similar to the Jewish kippah or , but typically differs in construction, with the made of separate joined sections and color-coordinated to clerical status. It is normally used only by clergy and not by ordinary people, which also differs from the . The resemblance between the two types of headgear is often seen as being deliberate but the is distinct from and predates the skullcap style of and by hundreds of years.

Construction and design

In Catholicism, the modern is most commonly made of silk. The design utilises eight gores or triangular panels that are joined at the tips to form a hemispherical skullcap. Jutting from the central tip of the is the "stem", known as or . It is made of a twisted loop of silk cord and is meant to make handling the easier. The is the primary visual distinction between the and the Jewish .

The traditionally has a lining of thin white chamois as an insulator; this is also to help keep the shape of the . Inside the trim, there is a strip of velvet to ensure a secure and comfortable fit. Most modern designs include a cloth lining, and the contemporary trend is using ordinary synthetic cloth with a simple, natural cloth lining.

Colors

The color of the in Catholicism generally denotes the office held by the wearer: The pope's is white, and Benedict XVI continued to wear a white as pope emeritus. Those worn by cardinals are scarlet. Those of archbishops, bishops, territorial abbots and territorial prelates are amaranth. Non-territorial abbots, priests and deacons may wear a black , although most do not.

In some cases, the color of the may also reflect the religious order of the wearer: Members of religious orders with white habits (e.g. Norbertines) may wear a white made of wool. Some Franciscans have adopted the practice of wearing a brown to match their brown habit.

Denominational variation

The most common Lutheran and Anglican design can be similar to the Catholic or, far more often, similar to the Jewish . A form of the is worn by Anglican bishops and is used approximately like that of the Catholic Church. The Anglican 'skullcap' differs from the primarily in that it is made of six panels, bears a button at centre of the crown, and is of slightly larger dimensions. The other exception is that instead of the Catholic "church violet", Anglican churches usually (but not always) use purple caps on bishops.

In the Syriac Orthodox tradition, a seven-panel called a is worn by nearly all priests. It is always black and embroidered with black Orthodox crosses.

Clergy of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Austrian Empire wore () in order to look more similar to the Catholic clergy.

Usage All ordained men in the Latin Church of the Catholic Church are entitled to wear the black unless promoted to a higher office, and it is worn with either the cassock or liturgical vestments, never a suit. For Bishops and Cardinals, when a biretta or mitre is worn, a is always worn underneath, hence its other names of and .

The common tradition is for the cleric to obtain the either from an ecclesiastical tailor or a retail church supply. There is also a tradition of friends buying a newly appointed bishop his first .

A lower-ranking prelate must always doff his skullcap to a higher-ranking prelate; all prelates must remove their in the presence of the pope, unless the pope prefers otherwise.

The is worn throughout most of the Mass, is removed at the commencement of the Preface, and replaced at the conclusion of Communion, when the Blessed Sacrament is put away. The is also not worn at any occasion where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. A short stand known as a (, usually made of brass or wood) can be placed near the altar to provide a safe place for the when it is not being worn.

Gifting

Popes and other prelates often give away their skullcaps to the faithful. The practice, which was started in the modern era by Pope Pius XII, involves giving the to the faithful, as a keepsake, if presented with a new one as a gift. Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV have continued the custom. The pope might choose not to give the visitor his own , but rather place the gift on his head for a moment as a blessing, then return it to the giver. The above popes mentioned, bishops, cardinals and archbishops such as Fulton J. Sheen frequently gave their old in exchange for the newly offered one; Sheen also gave his as a keepsake to laity who requested it.

In popular culture

In an episode the TV show Pawn Stars (season 17), Father Richard Kunst, curator of the Papal Artifacts website, was consulted regarding a said to have belonged to Pope Pius XII during World War II. The show’s producers reached out to him because of his expertise in papal memorabilia. In that episode, Chumlee, one of the show's hosts, sought to determine whether the was genuine, and consulted an assistant professor of theology in Rome who confirmed its authenticity.

In another episode of Pawn Stars (season 7), a pair of slippers and stockings alongside a , all of which said to have belonged to Pope Leo XIII, were attempted to be sold to the store where most of these show episodes take place, but at the end they did not make any business with the owner of said items.

Zucchetto

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