Please respond with the proper name for the hat worn by the Pope. Thanks and God bless.

Tammy

-- Tammy (missbucko@aol.com), August 31, 1998

Answers

Which one ? What does it look like?

-- BR. Rich S.F.O. (REPSFO@Prodigy.net), August 31, 1998.

Tammy

Sorry, some pokey nose is at it again trying to be rude here. God does know him and will deal with him.

The Tall headdress is the "Mitre" which is worn by all bishops and the little cap is a "Yarmulke" (Spelling?) in Jewish and in Catholic I have forgotten at the moment.

-- Fred Bishop (fcbishop@globaleyes.net), May 09, 2002.

I have read that the skullcap worn by Catholic prelates goes by several different names:
zuchetto, solideo, calotte, pilleolus, or sub-mitrale.
JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 09, 2002.

I know that solideo means "only to God" referring to the fact that the Pope (and Bishops) takes it off only during the Consecration at Mass, while Christ is present in the Eucharist. I clearly see the meaning of the use of the little cap. But the zuchetto, calotte, pilleolus, or sub-mitrale have they a special meaning or a practical use? What about the jewish yarmulke?

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), May 10, 2002.

Hello, teaching friend Enrique. You are always persuading me to do these interesting investigations!

The word "zucchetto" [I misspelled it above] is an Italian diminutive of the word "zucca," which means gourd or head. [The word "zucchini" comes from the same root.]

The word "calotte" is French, from the Provençal "calota" or the Italian "callotta," but I don't know of any underlying derivation.

The word "pilleolus" is a Latin diminutive of pilleum, which was a felt cap worn especially by freed slaves. The word may come from "pilus," which means hair.

The old Catholic Encyclopedia has this to say on the subject of these Catholic garments:
A zucchetto is "The small, round skullcap of the ecclesiastic. The official name is pilleolus; other designations are: berettino [little beret], calotte, subbiretum (because worn under the biretta [the distinctive hat of clergy]), submitrale (because worn under the mitre), and soli-deo. The pope's zucchetto is white, that of the cardinals red, even when the cardinal is a member of an order. ... The pilleolus of the bishops is violet, that of other ecclesiastics, including the prelates, unless a special privilege to wear violet is granted, black. Bishops and cardinals wear it at Mass, except during the Canon; other ecclesiastics may not wear it at Mass without special papal permission. ... It cannot be said positively when the zucchetto became customary, but it was probably not before the thirteenth century. ... It is shown in the pictures and sculpture of the late Middle Ages sometimes as a round skullcap, sometimes as a cap that covers the back of the head and the ears. In this shape it was called camauro; this designation was given especially to the red velvet cap of this kind bordered with ermin that was peculiar to the pope."
[I notice that there is nothing mentioned about the reason for the zucchetto, so I have to wonder whether or not it was first worn simply for warmth in a very cold winter.]

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word "yarmulke" is Yiddish, coming from the Polish or Ukrainian "yarmulka." This may be derived from the Turkish "yamurluk" (rain clothing), which is from "yamur" (rain).
Here is more on the yarmulke (including alternate derivations) from www.jewfaq.org:

"The most commonly known and recognized piece of Jewish garb is actually the one with the least religious significance. The word yarmulke is Yiddish. According to Leo Rosten's 'The Joys of Yiddish,' it comes from a Tartar word meaning skullcap. According to some Orthodox and Chasidic rabbis I know, it comes from the Aramaic words "yerai malka" (fear of or respect for The King). The Hebrew word for this head covering is kippah (pronounced key-pah).
"It is an ancient practice for Jews to cover their heads during prayer. This probably derives from the fact that in Eastern cultures, it is a sign of respect to cover the head (the custom in Western cultures is the opposite: it is a sign of respect to remove one's hat). Thus, by covering the head during prayer, one showed respect for [God.] In addition, in ancient Rome, servants were required to cover their heads while free men did not; thus, Jews covered their heads to show that they were servants of [God.] In medieval times, Jews covered their heads as a reminder that [God]is always above them. Whatever the reason given, however, covering the head has always been regarded more as a custom rather than a commandment.
"There is no special significance to the yarmulke as a specific type of head covering. Its light weight, compactness and discreteness make it a convenient choice of head gear. I am unaware of any connection between the yarmulke and the similar skullcap worn by the Pope."

God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

John, you are always so helpful. Thank you very much. After I sked my previous question I kept wondering if the skullcap would have a connection with the tonsure worn by priests and monks, especially in the old days. You don't see tonsures anymore.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), May 11, 2002.

Enrique, I doubt that the tonsure and use of zucchetto are related.
As mentioned in the quotation above, "It cannot be said positively when the zucchetto became customary, but it was probably not before the thirteenth century."
The Encyclopedia states that the tonsure was being used at least as early as the fifth century.
JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Hi I was wondering if anyone knows what it reads on the pope's, if I may say, "zucchetto"? All I know is that the saying is in latin.

-- Patrick (alsaffat1@aol.com), November 06, 2002.

Here we go again.

-- - (-@-.-), November 06, 2002.

Yarmulke is a jewish skull cap. It is a Yiddish derived word. In my competency it says that it also derives from Latin which is hard to believe sisnce I have been searching for it for 2 hours now.

-- Sierra (sierraras@aol.com), November 06, 2002.