The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the 'Triregnum', and in Italian as the 'Triregno', is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. A gemstone or gem, also called a precious or semi-precious stone, is a piece of attractive Mineral, which &mdash when cut and polished &mdash The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and The Supreme Pontiff's arms have featured a "tiara" since ancient times, notably in combination with Saint Peter's crossed keys. A tiara (from Persian تاره tara adopted in Latin as 'tiara' is a form of crown.

The emblem of the papacy uses the Papal Tiara. The emblem of Vatican City is the same except that the positions of the gold and the silver keys are interchanged. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory

History

Papal tiaras were worn by the popes of Rome and Avignon from Pope Clement V (d. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Avignon (/aviɲɔ̃/ in French) ( Provençal: Avinhon in classical norm or Avignoun in Mistralian norm is a commune Pope Clement V' (About 1264 &ndash April 20, 1314) born Raymond Bertrand de Got (also occasionally spelled de Gouth and de 1314) to Pope Paul VI, who was crowned in 1963. Pope The Papal Coronation is the ceremony in which a new Pope is crowned as earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church, sovereign of Vatican City Pope Paul VI abandoned the use of his own tiara after the Second Vatican Council, symbolically laying it on the altar of St. Peter's Basilica, and donating its value to the poor. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St However, his 1975 Apostolic Constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo on the manner of electing the Pope, still envisaged that his successors would be crowned. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Romano Pontifici Eligendo was the Apostolic Constitution governing the election of popes that was promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1975

However his immediate successor, Pope John Paul I, decided against a coronation, replacing it with a ceremony of what was called "Inauguration of the Supreme Pontificate"; and after John Paul I's sudden death, Pope John Paul II told the congregation at his Inauguration:^[1]

Though not currently worn as part of papal regalia, the continuing symbolism of the papal tiara is reflected in its use on the flag and coats of arms of the Holy See and the Vatican. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory Until the reign of Benedict XVI the tiara was also the ornament surmounting a Pope's personal coat of arms, as a tasselled hat (under which a 1969 Instruction of the Holy See forbade the placing of a mitre, a second hat)^[2] surmounted those of other prelates. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic In a break with tradition, Pope Benedict XVI's personal coat of arms has replaced the tiara with a mitre. The coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI was designed by then Archbishop Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo (who later was created a Cardinal soon after the The mitre (sometimes also spelled miter from the Greek μίτρα, 'headband' or 'turban' is a type of headgear now known as the traditional ceremonial head-dress of This particular mitre contains three levels reminiscent of the three tiers on the papal tiara. ^[3] However, in the coat of arms of the Holy See and of the Vatican City State Pope Benedict XVI decided to keep the tiara, not a mitre.

Origins

Main article: Origins of the Papal Tiara

Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) in early papal tiara, Fresco at the cloister Sacro Speco, about 1219. The origins of the Papal Tiara remain somewhat clouded in mystery Pope Innocent III ( February 22, 1161 &ndash June 16, 1216) born Lotario de' Conti di Segni, was Pope from January

According to James-Charles Noonan^[4] and Bruno Heim^[5] the lowest of the three crowns appeared at the base of the traditional white papal headgear in the ninth century. Bruno Bernard Heim ( 5 March 1911 - 18 March 2003) was the Vatican's first Apostolic Nuncio to Britain and was one of the most prominent When the popes assumed temporal power in the Papal States, the base crown became decorated with jewels to resemble the crowns of princes. The Papal States, State(s of the Church or Pontifical States (in Italian Stato Ecclesiastico, Stato della Chiesa, Stati della Chiesa He suggested that a second crown was added by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298 to symbolize spiritual dominion. Pope Boniface VIII (c 1235 &ndash October 11, 1303) born Benedetto Caetani, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1294 Very soon after, in or around 1314, a third crown and lappets (cloth strips) were added; Pope Clement V was the first to wear the triple tiara. Pope Clement V' (About 1264 &ndash April 20, 1314) born Raymond Bertrand de Got (also occasionally spelled de Gouth and de

However, a fresco in the Chapel of Saint Sylvester (consecrated in 1247) in the church of the Santi Quattro Coronati in Rome seems to represent the Pope wearing a tiara with two bands and with lappets. Santi Quattro Coronati is an ancient Basilica in Rome. The church dates back to the 4th (or 5th century and is devoted to four anonymous saints and martyrs

An alternative chronology suggests that the tiara began as a sort of closed "tocque". A toque (toʊk is a type of Hat with a narrow brim or no brim at all In 1130 a crown was added, symbol of sovereignty over the Papal States. Boniface VIII, in 1301, added a second crown, at the time of the confrontation with Philip the Fair, King of France, to show that his spiritual authority was superior to any civil authority. Pope Boniface VIII (c 1235 &ndash October 11, 1303) born Benedetto Caetani, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1294 Benedict XII in 1342 who added a third crown to symbolize the Pope's moral authority over all secular monarchs, and reaffirmed the possession of Avignon. Pope Benedict XII (died April 25, 1342) born Jacques Fournier, was Pope from 1334 to 1342

Last crowned Pope

Main article: Papal Coronation

As with all previous popes, Pope Paul VI was crowned with a tiara at the papal coronation. The Papal Coronation is the ceremony in which a new Pope is crowned as earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church, sovereign of Vatican City Pope As happened sometimes with previous popes, a new tiara was used, donated by the city of Milan, where he was Archbishop (and Cardinal) before his election. Quite different from earlier tiaras, it was not covered in jewels and precious gems, and was sharply cone-shaped. It was also distinctly lighter in weight than earlier tiaras.

At the end of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI descended the steps of the papal throne in St Peter's Basilica and laid the tiara on the altar in a dramatic gesture of humility and as a sign of the renunciation of human glory and power in keeping with the renewed spirit of the Council. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. Since then, none of his successors has worn a tiara.

Pope Paul's tiara was presented to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. by the Apostolic Delegate to the United States on February 6, 1968 as a gesture of Pope Paul VI's affection for the Catholic Church in the United States. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a prominent Roman Catholic Basilica located in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It is on permanent display in Memorial Hall along with the stole that Pope John XXIII wore at the opening of the Second Vatican Council. Pope John (numberingBlessed

Pope Paul's decision to abandon the use of one of the most striking symbols of the papacy, the papal tiara, proved highly controversial with Traditionalist Catholics, many of whom continue to campaign for its re-instatement to former usage. Traditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics, or people who identify as Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical ^[6] Some indeed branded him an antipope, arguing that no valid pope would surrender the papal tiara. An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman Among ultratraditionalist claimants to the papacy, at least one was crowned using a tiara, thus showing the power of its symbolism, while another uses the tiara on his coat of arms. An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman Clemente Domínguez y Gómez ( May 23 1946 &ndash March 22 2005) was a self-proclaimed successor of Pope Paul VI, and was recognised Fr Lucian Pulvermacher (born Earl Pulvermacher on April 20, 1918) is a traditionalist Roman Catholic priest

A permanent end to the wearing of the triple tiara?

Main articles: Papal Inauguration and Enthronement

Pope John Paul I dispensed with the 1000-year-old tradition of a papal coronation and the wearing of a papal tiara, deciding not to take advantage of the mention of a coronation in Pope Paul VI's 1975 Apostolic Constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo, then in force: "Finally, the Pontiff will be crowned by the Cardinal Protodeacon and, within an appropriate time, will take possession of the Patriarchal Archbasilica of the Lateran, in accordance with the prescribed ritual. The Papal Inauguration Mass is a liturgical service of the Catholic Church (celebrated in the Roman Rite but with elements An enthronement is a ceremony of Inauguration centering around sitting for the first time on a Throne. Pope John Paul I ( Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP I, Italian: Giovanni Paolo I) born Albino Luciani, ( October 17 1912 "^[7]

In a passage of his Inauguration homily, quoted above, Pope John Paul II remarked that both his immediate predecessor and he himself had wished neither a coronation nor a tiara, and added: "This is not the time to return to a ceremony and an object considered, wrongly, to be a symbol of the temporal power of the Popes. "

Coat of Arms of the Holy See, incorporating the Papal Tiara

When, in his 1996 Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he revised the rules on the election of Popes, he removed all mention of a papal coronation, replacing it with a reference to an "inauguration": "After the solemn ceremony of the inauguration of the pontificate and within an appropriate time, the pope will take possession of the Patriachal Archbasilica of the Lateran, in accordance with the prescribed ritual. The Coat of Arms of the Holy See is Blazoned Gules, two keys in Saltire or and Argent, interlaced in the rings gules/or The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Universi Dominici Gregis is an Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Catholic Church issued by Pope John Paul II on February 22, "^[8]

As in the Pope Paul VI's document, the phraseology is descriptive, not prescriptive. Besides, it lays down no rules about the form of the "ceremony of the inauguration of the pontificate", which could indeed take the form of a coronation. In any case, a Pope is not bound by ceremonial rules made by a predecessor, and may freely change them.

With the current disappearance of the papal coronation, the British monarch is now the only monarch in a western country to receive a coronation. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the All others, like modern popes, are "inaugurated" into office.

Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI that does not include the Papal Tiara

Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed the continued use of representations of the tiara as an official symbol of the papacy. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger It is still featured as one of the ornaments on the personal coat of arms of Popes John Paul I and John Paul II, who never used the actual object. For at least 800 years each Pope has had his own personal Coat of arms that serves as a symbol of his papacy However, John Paul II gave his official approval later in his reign to depictions of his arms without the tiara, as with the mosaic floor piece towards the entrance of St Peter's Basilica, where an ordinary mitre takes the place of the tiara. The coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI has replaced it with a mitre: "The Holy Father Benedict XVI decided not to include the tiara in his official personal coat of arms. He replaced it with a simple mitre which is not, therefore, surmounted by a small globe and cross as was the tiara". The globus cruciger ( Latin, "cross-bearing orb" is an orb (lat ^[9]

Each year a papal tiara is placed on the head of the famous bronze statue of Saint Peter in St. Peter's Basilica from the vigil of the Feast of the Cathedra of Saint Peter on 22 February until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St The Cathedra Petri ( Latin) or Chair of Saint Peter is usually understood of a particular chair preserved in St Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or properly the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a feast commemorating the Martyrdom at Rome of the Apostles Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Although this custom was not observed in 2006, it was reintroduced in 2007.

Design

Multiple papal tiaras

Further information: List of papal tiaras in existence

Pope Paul VI (1963–1978) wearing his Papal Tiara. The Papal Tiara is the crown of the Papacy. For over one Millennium all popes were crowned Pope

Although often referred to as the Papal Tiara, historically there have been many, and twenty-two remain in existence. Many of the earlier papal tiaras (most notably the tiaras of Pope Julius II^[10] and that attributed to Pope Saint Silvester) were destroyed, dismantled or seized by invaders (most notably by Berthier's army in 1798), or by popes themselves; Pope Clement VII had all the tiaras and papal regalia melted down in 1527 to raise the 400,000 ducats ransom demanded by the occupying army of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Pope Julius II (5 December 1443 &ndash 21 February 1513 born Giuliano Della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513 Louis Alexandre Berthier, 1st Duc de Wagram, 1st Duc de Valengin, 1st Sovereign Prince de Neuchâtel ( February For the Antipope (1378&ndash1394 see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII ( May 26, 1478 &ndash September The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Over twenty silver tiaras exist, of which the earliest, the sole survivor of 1798, was made for Pope Gregory XIII in the sixteenth century. Pope Gregory XIII (January 7 1502 &ndash April 10 1585 born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585 On March 21, 1800 as Rome was in the hands of the French, Pius VII was crowned in exile, in Venice, with a papier-mâché tiara, for which ladies of Venice gave up their jewels. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14 1740&mdashAugust 20 1823 born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope from March 14 1800 to August Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Papier-mâché ( French for 'chewed-up paper' because of its appearance sometimes called paper-mâché, is a construction material that consists of pieces of

Many tiaras were donated to the papacy by world leaders or heads of states, including Queen Isabella II of Spain, William I, German Emperor, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and Napoleon I of France. "Isabella II" redirects here For the Queen of Jerusalem also known as Isabella II see Yolande of Jerusalem. Franz Joseph I Karl (- German, in English Francis Joseph I Charles, see the name in other languages) (18 August 1830 &ndash 21 November Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The tiara provided by the last was made from elements of former papal tiaras destroyed after the capture of Rome, and was given to Pius VII as a 'wedding gift' to mark Napoleon's own marriage to Empress Josephine on the eve of his imperial coronation. Joséphine de Beauharnais (born Marie Josèphe Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie June 23 1763 &ndash May 29 1814) was the first Others were a gift to a newly elected pope from the See which they had held before their election, or on the occasion of the jubilee of their ordination or election. In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies

Flag of Vatican City. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory The arms on the flag, with a tiara, are the same as the papal arms, except that the positions of the gold and the silver keys are interchanged

In some instances, various cities sought to outdo each other in the beauty, value and size of the tiaras they provided to popes from their region. Examples include tiaras given to Popes John XXIII and Paul VI, the former by John's home region, the latter by Paul's previous archiepiscopal see of Milan on their election to the papacy. Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy.

Popes were not restricted to a particular tiara: for example, photographs on this page show Pope John XXIII, on different occasions, wearing the tiara presented to him in 1959, Pope Pius IX's 1877 tiara, and Pope Pius XI's 1922 tiara. Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13 1792 &ndash February 7 1878 born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from June 16 1846 until 1878

Pope Paul VI, whose bullet-shaped tiara is one of the most unusual in design, was the last pope to wear a triple tiara (though any of his successors could, if they wished, revive the custom). Most surviving tiaras are on display in the Vatican, though some were sold off or donated to Catholic bodies. Some of the more popular or historic tiaras, such as the 1871 Belgian tiara, the 1877 tiara and the 1903 golden tiara, have been sent around the world as part of a display of historic Vatican items. Pope Paul VI's "Milan tiara" was donated to and is on display in the crypt church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.,United States of America. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a prominent Roman Catholic Basilica located in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Shape of the Triple Tiara

Main article: Decoration of the Papal Tiara

Most of the surviving triple tiaras have the shape of a circular beehive, with its central core made of silver. From the 15th century when the papal tiara received its third and final tier the decoration of papal tiaras followed a standard format A beehive is in a general sense an enclosed structure in which some species of Honey bees (genus Apis) live and raise their young Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Some were sharply conical, others bulbous. All tiaras but that of Pope Paul VI were heavily bejewelled. A gemstone or gem, also called a precious or semi-precious stone, is a piece of attractive Mineral, which &mdash when cut and polished &mdash Each tiara was structured in the form of three crowns marked by golden decorations, sometimes in the form of crosses, sometimes in the shape of leaves. Most were topped off by a cross sitting above a monde (globe), representing the universal sovereignty of Christ. A monde is a ball-like object located near the top of a crown

Each tiara had attached to the back two lappets; highly decorated strips of cloth embroidered with golden thread, bearing the coat of arms or another symbol of the pope to whom the tiara had been given. A lappet is a decorative flap or fold in a ceremonial Headdress or garment

There are two rather unusual tiaras: the papier-mâché tiara made when Pope Pius VII was elected and crowned in exile, and the one made for Pope Paul VI in 1963, which is somewhat bullet-shaped, contains few jewels and, rather than having the addition of three tiers, is marked with three parallel circles. Papier-mâché ( French for 'chewed-up paper' because of its appearance sometimes called paper-mâché, is a construction material that consists of pieces of Pope Pius VII, OSB (August 14 1740&mdashAugust 20 1823 born Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was Pope from March 14 1800 to August Pope

The tiara given to Pope Pius IX in 1877 by the Vatican's Palatine Honour guard in honour of his Jubilee (see photograph below) is strikingly similar in design to the earlier tiara of Gregory XVI. Blessed Pope Pius IX (May 13 1792 &ndash February 7 1878 born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from June 16 1846 until 1878 The Palatine Guard ( Italian: Guardia Palatina d'Onore) was a military unit of the Vatican. It remained a particularly popular crown, worn by, among others, Pope Pius XI, Pope Pius XII and Pope John XXIII. Pope Pius XI ( Latin: Pius PP XI; Italian: Pio XI; May 31 1857 &ndash February 10 1939) born Pope Pope John (numberingBlessed Pope Pius XI's 1922 crown, in contrast was much less decorated and much more conical in shape. Pope Pius XI ( Latin: Pius PP XI; Italian: Pio XI; May 31 1857 &ndash February 10 1939) born (See image below of this tiara worn by Pope John XXIII. )

Weight

Except for the papier-mâché tiara, the lightest tiara was that made for Pope John XXIII in 1959. The papier-mâché tiara was a Papal tiara made in exile for Pope Pius VII 's Papal coronation in a church in Venice in 1800 It weighed just over 2 lb (910 g), as did the 1922 tiara of Pope Pius XI. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass In contrast, the bullet-shaped tiara of Pope Paul VI weighed 10 lb (4. 5 kg). The heaviest papal tiara in the papal collection is the 1804 tiara donated by Napoleon I to celebrate both his marriage to Josephine and his coronation as French emperor. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. It weighs 8. 2 kg (18. 1 lb). However it was never worn, as its width was made, some suspected deliberately, too small for Pope Pius VII to wear. ^[11]

A number of popes deliberately had new tiaras made because they found those in the collection either too small, too heavy, or both. Rather than use the papier-mâché tiara, Pope Gregory XVI had a new lightweight tiara made in the 1840s. In the 1870s, Pope Pius IX, then in his eighties, found the other tiaras too heavy to wear and that of his predecessor, Pope Gregory, too small, so he had a lightweight tiara made also. In 1908 Pope Pius X had another lightweight tiara made as he found that the normal tiaras in use were too heavy, while the lightweight ones did not fit comfortably.

New methods of manufacture in the twentieth century enabled the creation of lighter normal tiaras, producing the 900 g (2 lb) tiaras of Pius XI and John XXIII. That, combined with the existence of a range of lightweight tiaras from earlier popes, meant that no pope since Pius X in 1908 needed to make his own special lightweight tiara.

Symbolism of the Triple Tiara

There is no certainty about what the three crowns of the Triple Tiara symbolise, as is evident from the multitude of interpretations that have been and still are proposed. Some link it to the threefold authority of the "Supreme Pontiff: Universal Pastor (top), Universal Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction (middle) and Temporal Power (bottom)". Pontiff or Pontificate is a title of certain religious leaders now used principally to refer to leaders such as the Pope of the Catholic Church and of ^[12] Others interpret the three tiers as meaning "Father of princes and kings, Ruler of the world, Vicar of our Saviour Jesus Christ". Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) ^[13] When popes were crowned, the following words were used:

Accipe tiaram tribus coronis ornatam, et scias te esse Patrem Principum et Regnum, Rectorem Orbis, in terra Vicarium Salvatoris Nostri Jesu Christi, cui est honor et gloria in sæcula sæculorum.

(Receive the tiara adorned with three crowns and know that thou art Father of Princes and Kings, Ruler of the World, Vicar of Our Savior Jesus Christ in earth, to whom is honor and glory in the ages of ages. )

Pope John XXIII (1958-1963) wearing his personal tiara given by the people of his home region in 1959, the year after his election. As shown below, the 1877 tiara was used at his coronation.

Yet others have associated it with the threefold office of Christ, who is Priest, Prophet and King,^[14] an association mentioned as a possibility by Pope John Paul II in his Inauguration homily,^[15][16] or "teacher, lawmaker and judge". Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " Pope ^[17] Another traditional interpretation was that the three crowns refer to the "Church Militant on earth", the "Church Suffering after death and before heaven", and the "Church Triumphant in eternal reward". ^[18] Yet another interpretation suggested by Archbishop Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, who designed Pope Benedict XVI's tiara-less coat of arms, was "order, jurisdiction and magisterum",^[19] while a further theory links the three tiers to the "celestial, human and terrestrial worlds," which the pope is supposed to symbolically link. ^[20]

Papal Tiara and the 666 controversy

Main article: Vicarius Filii Dei

A controversy touching the papal tiara, attributed to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other Protestants, involves the claim that the words Vicarius Filii Dei (Vicar of the Son of God) exist on the side of one of the tiaras. Vicarius Filii Dei (Latin Vicar or Representative of the Son of God) is a phrase used in the forged Donation of Constantine to refer to Saint Peter. The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance The controversy centres on the widely made claim that, when numerised (i. e. , when those letters in the alleged title that have Roman numerals value are added together), the words produce the number 666, described in the Book of Revelation as the Number of the Beast, who, some have claimed, would "wear" a crown similar to a triple tiara, a claim made by some evangelical Protestant groups who believe that the pope as head of the Catholic Church is the Antichrist. Roman numerals are a Numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου The Number of the Beast is a concept from the Book of Revelation of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. For other uses see Antichrist (disambiguation In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person office

"Vicarius Filii Dei" is, in fact, not one of the pope's titles, though the Donation of Constantine (a medieval document forged in the name of the Emperor to legitimate the temporal power of popes) does use it to refer to Saint Peter specifically. The Donation of Constantine ( Latin, Donatio Constantini) is a forged Roman imperial edict devised probably between 750 and 775, the

Four sources are sometimes given to back up the claim, including two witnesses who claimed to have seen Pope Gregory XVI wearing a tiara with Vicarius Filii Dei on it in 1832 and 1845,^[21] the purported existence of a photograph of an early twentieth century papal funeral showing a tiara with the writing, and the assertion that the tiara with the writing was used to crown Eugenio Pacelli as Pope Pius XII in 1939. Pope

None of the claims holds up to scrutiny. One of the occasions where the Pope was "seen" wearing the tiara was supposedly during a Pontifical High Mass in St. In the context of the Tridentine Mass of the Roman Catholic Church, a Pontifical High Mass, also called Solemn Pontifical Mass, is a Solemn or High Peter's Basilica. In fact popes never wore tiaras during Mass. It was never used as a liturgical item. In addition the tiara used for Pius XII's coronation in 1939 could not have been worn by Gregory XVI as it was manufactured thirty-one years after Gregory's death. All the tiaras potentially worn by Gregory still exist; none have writing, nor does the tiara worn by Pius in 1939.

Finally, no evidence as to the existence of the supposed photograph has been produced, nor is it credible that a black and white photograph, taken from a distance inside a darkened St. Peter's Basilica, in the absence of modern photographic technology or even zoom lenses, could have picked up writing on a far-away tiara, had such writing existed. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St A photograph of a tiara supposedly on the High Altar behind the coffin of Pope Pius X, at his canonization in 1954 decades after the supposed original photograph, could not see the jewels on the tiara, much less any supposed writing. A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for

Contrary to claims of a cover-up, all tiaras manufactured since 1800 still exist and are on public display, with a number being sent around the world as part of the Saint Peter and The Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes exhibition which visited the United States in 2005. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Only a handful, notably the Belgian Tiara of 1871 and the Gold Tiara of 1903, have any writing at all. The 1871 tiara's inscription is not Vicarius Filii Dei or anything that could be confused with it, but CHRISTI VICARIO – IN TERRA – REGUM (translated: To the earthly Vicar of Christ).

Many historians, academics and mainstream religious leaders view the story as a classic anti-Catholic myth, a story for which no evidence has been found. The Papacy has been surrounded by numerous Legends. Among the most famous are the claims that the Papal Tiara contains the Number of the beast Even some Seventh-day Adventist scholars no longer support the view that the "666" of Revelation relates to any inscription on a papal tiara. ^[22]

A similar claim concerns the word "Mysterium" which is said to have appeared on the papal tiara until the Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time "Mysterium" is supposed to make up the number "666" and to refer the "harlot of Babylon" which according to Revelation 17:5 has the word written on her forehead. ^[23]

Usage

Solemn Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Pope John XXIII in St. Peter's Basilica in the early 1960s. Note the mitre and the papal tiaras placed on the altar.

The triple tiara was not worn for liturgical celebrations, such as Mass. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. At such functions the Pope, like other bishops, wears a mitre. However, one would be worn during the solemn entrance and departure processions, and one or more could be placed on the altar during the elaborately ceremonial Pontifical High Mass. In the context of the Tridentine Mass of the Roman Catholic Church, a Pontifical High Mass, also called Solemn Pontifical Mass, is a Solemn or High

The tiara was thus worn in formal ceremonial processions, and on other occasions when the pope was carried on the sedia gestatoria, a portable throne whose use was ended by Pope John Paul II immediately after his election in October 1978. The sedia gestatoria is the portable Throne on which Popes were once carried Pope His short-lived predecessor, John Paul I, also chose initially not to use it, but relented when informed that without it the people could not see him. ^[24] In addition, the triple tiara was used for "solemn acts of jurisdiction" where the pope appeared "in state", for example in making an ex cathedra definition (using Papal Infallibility). Papal infallibility is the Dogma in Catholic theology that by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of It was also worn when a pope gave his traditional Christmas and Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing from the balcony of St Peter's, the only religious ceremony when the tiara was worn. Urbi et Orbi, literally "to the City Rome and to the World," was a standard opening of

Papal Coronation

Pope John XXIII blesses the crowds after his coronation in 1958. He is wearing the 1877 tiara.

Main article: Papal Coronation

The most famous occasion when the triple tiara was used was the papal coronation, a six-hour ceremony, when the new pope was carried in state on the sedia gestatoria (portable throne - see image of Pope John XXIII, left), with attendants fanning the pontiff with ostrich feathers (fans can be seen in the background of photograph of Pius XI above) to the location of the coronation. The Papal Coronation is the ceremony in which a new Pope is crowned as earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church, sovereign of Vatican City The sedia gestatoria is the portable Throne on which Popes were once carried The Ostrich ( Struthio camelus) is a large Flightless bird native to Africa (and formerly the Middle East) Traditionally, coronations took place in or in the environs of St Peter's Basilica. ^[25]

At the moment of the coronation, the new pope was crowned with the words

Receive the tiara adorned with three crowns and know that thou art Father of princes and kings, Ruler of the world, Vicar of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Pope Paul VI opted for a significantly shorter ceremony. As with all other modern coronations, the ceremony itself was only symbolic, as the person involved became Pope and Bishop of Rome the moment he accepted his canonical election in the papal conclave. The Bishop of Rome is the bishop of the Holy See, more often referred to in the Catholic tradition as the Pope. A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) who is considered by Catholics to be the Successor The two subsequent popes (John Paul I and John Paul II) abandoned the monarchial coronation, opting instead for an investiture. Pope John Paul I ( Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP I, Italian: Giovanni Paolo I) born Albino Luciani, ( October 17 1912 Pope In 2004, Pope Benedict XVI took a step further and removed the tiara from the papal coat of arms, replacing it with a mitre. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger The mitre (sometimes also spelled miter from the Greek μίτρα, 'headband' or 'turban' is a type of headgear now known as the traditional ceremonial head-dress of

Other tiaras

Agostino Veneziano's engraving of Suleyman the Magnificent. Agostino Veneziano, ("Venetian Agostino" whose real name was Agostino de' Musi, ( Venice ca Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it ^[26]. Note the 4 tiers on the helmet (which he had commissioned from Venice, symbolizing his imperial power, and excelling the 3-tiered papal tiara. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the ^[27]

For tiaras unrelated to the papacy, see Tiara

Patriarchal tiara

Only one other Catholic prelate is allowed to use a tiara in his coat of arms: the Patriarch of Lisbon,^[28] a title created in 1716 and held by the archbishop of Lisbon since 1740. A tiara (from Persian تاره tara adopted in Latin as 'tiara' is a form of crown. The Patriarch of Lisbon (Latin Patriarch Ulixbonensis sive Lisbonensis) is an honorary title possessed by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon. Year 1716 ( MDCCXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Patriarch of Lisbon (Latin Patriarch Ulixbonensis sive Lisbonensis) is an honorary title possessed by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon. Year 1740 ( MDCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Confusion with the papal coat of arms is easily avoided as the pope always combines his tiara with the crossed keys of St. Peter.

Sultan Suleiman

The 16th Century Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent commissioned Venetian craftsmen to make a 4-tiered tiara modeled on the Papal design, to demonstrate that his power and authority exceeded that of the Supreme Pontiff. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Suleiman I (سليمان Sulaymān, Süleyman almost always Kanuni Sultan Süleyman) ( 6 November 1494 5/ 6 September 1566 This was a most untypical piece of headgear for an Ottoman sultan, which he probably never normally wore, but which he placed beside him when receiving visitors, especially ambassadors. It was crowned with an enormous feather. ^[29]

Conversely, the papal coronation ceremony, in which the Pope was fanned with flabella (long fans of ostrich feathers) and carried on the sedia gestatoria (portable throne), was based on the Byzantine imperial ceremonies witnessed in medieval Constantinople. A flabellum (plural flabella) in Catholic liturgical use is a fan made of metal leather silk parchment or feathers intended to keep away insects from the consecrated The Ostrich ( Struthio camelus) is a large Flightless bird native to Africa (and formerly the Middle East) The sedia gestatoria is the portable Throne on which Popes were once carried Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS

Tarot cards

Medieval tarot cards included a card showing a woman wearing a papal tiara and known as the Popess or Papess or the High Priestess. The tarot (also known as tarocchi, tarock or similar names is typically a set of seventy-eight cards comprised of twenty-one trump cards, one La Popessa, also written as La Papessa, is a term used in Tarot to refer to The Papess or The High Priestess Playing The meaning and symbolism of the card is uncertain. The crowned woman has variously been identified as Pope Joan (a woman who according to a medieval and later protestant myth had disguised herself as a man and been elected pope; some cards also show a child, and the Pope Joan myth pictured her as found out when she gave birth during a papal procession), as Mary, Mother of God, or even as Cybele, as Isis, or as Venus. Pope Joan is the name of a Female Pope (also La Papessa) who supposedly reigned for less than three years in the 850s between the papacies of Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Originally a Hittite and Phrygian Goddess, Cybele (Κυβέλη was a deification of the Earth Mother and was worshipped in Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and is celebrated in their mythology as the ideal mother and wife patron of nature and magic friend of slaves sinners Venus was a major Roman Goddess principally associated with Love, Beauty and fertility, the equivalent of the Greek goddess Cards with a woman wearing a papal tiara, produced during the Protestant Reformation, and apparent images of "Pope Joan" and her child, have been seen as a Protestant attempt to ridicule the office of the papacy and the Catholic faith. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time

The papal tiara, however, disappeared from later cards, which showed the Popess wearing more standard medieval female headgear. The tarot cards also contained a representation of the pope, in some cases crowned with a papal tiara. ^[30]

See also

• Papal regalia and insignia
• Papal Coronation
• Pope
• List of popes
• Papal States
• Holy See
• Tiara
• Papal Mass

Footnotes

References

Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul I: The tiara still appears in papal arms, though the tiara itself is no longer worn. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people Pope John Paul I ( Latin: Ioannes Paulus PP I, Italian: Giovanni Paolo I) born Albino Luciani, ( October 17 1912

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• Levillain, Philippe (ed. ) (2002). The Papacy: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92228-3.  
• Nielsen, Fredrik Kristian (1906). The History of the Papacy in the XIXth Century. London: J. Murray.  
• Noonan, James-Charles. (1996). The Church Visible: The Ceremonial Life and Protocol of the Roman Catholic Church. New York: Viking. ISBN 0-670-86745-4.  
• Rudé, George F. E. (2000). Revolutionary Europe, 1783-1815. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-22189-1.  
• Smith, Uriah (1881). Thoughts, Critical and Practical on the Book of Revelation. Battle Creek, Mich. : Seventh-day Adventist Publ. Assoc. . ISBN 0-8370-5309-9.  
• Smithe, Jefferson (1902). Roman Catholic Ritual. London.  
• Willey, David (1992). God's Politician: John Paul at the Vatican. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-16180-4.  
• Yallop, David A. (1984). In God's Name: An Investigation into the Murder of Pope John Paul I. Toronto: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-05073-7.  

Sources and external links

• "Papal Tiara". Catholic Encyclopedia. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.  
• contains a colour picture of Pope Pius XII wearing a papal tiara
• Images of recent popes wearing the papal tiara
• Holy See Press Office information on the papal tiara
• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
• Images of several Papal tiaras