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Popes

The Popes of the Catholic Church


Papal regalia and insignia

Papal religia and insignia


Papal Regalia

The Triregnum is a crown with three levels, also called the Tiara or Triple Crown. Its use has been abandoned by Pope Paul VI and his successors.

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 around it.

The Papal ferula is a staff topped by an erect crucifix. The use of the papal ferula is an ancient custom, established before the thirteenth century.

The Sedia gestatoria was a portable throne or armchair carried by twelve footmen (palafrenieri) in red uniforms. The sedia gestatoria is accompanied by two attendants bearing the Flabella, large ceremonial fans made of white ostrich-feathers.
Papal Vestments and Dresses

The Pallium is a circular band of fabric , from which two pendants hang down, one in the front and one in back. It is ornamented with six small, red crosses distributed about the shoulders, breast and back, and is fixed in place by three golden pins, symbolic of the nails with which Christ was crucified.

The Papal fanon consists of a doubled shoulder-cape (somewhat like a mozzetta) of white silk ornamented with narrow woven golden stripes, so that the colors alternate white and gold. The first end of the fanon is placed under the stole and the second over the chasuble, under the white pallium.

The choir dress is the vesture of the clerics, seminarians and religious of traditional churches worn for public prayer, either apart from the eucharist or by those attending the eucharist as the clergy part of the congregation rather than as the celebrants.

The ordinary dress for the pope consists of a white simar (cassock with a shoulder cape attached to it) girded with the fringed fascia (often with the papal coat of arms embroidered on it), pectoral cross on a gold cord, and white zucchetto.
The subcinctorium, an ornamental vestment reserved for the pope, who previously wore it only at a solemn pontifical Mass, it was very similar to, but somewhat broader than, the maniple in form and nature. The vestment was approximately 55 cm. in length and was attached on the cincture, on the right side. It is decorated with gold embroidery on one end with a small Agnus Dei and on the other with a cross. The Falda is a particular papal vestment which forms a long skirt extending beneath the hem of the alb. The skirts of the falda were so long that the pope needed train-bearers both in front and in back whenever he walked. It was initially made of cream coloured silk and worn over the alb and under the chasuble or cope.
The Mantum —a very long cope worn only by the pope.
Papal Insignia

Coat of arms of Vatican City State



Flag of the Vatican City State

Coat of arms of the Holy See

Coat of arms of Papacy during a sede vacante