I would like to know why the pope, bishop and kardinal have this little hat on their head? the same have jews! can you help me answeer this? why bouth have this hat? katolics and jews? or where I could get answeer on that?

-- jakob kacprzak (kashhh@worldonline.dk), February 24, 2000

Answers

Response to why does pope and jews have the little hat on their head?

Hello, Jakob.

Your question has been answered by the noted Catholic historian, Warren Carroll, as follows:
"The skullcap, traditionally worn by Jewish high priests, was preserved by Christian priests of high rank (the Pope, cardinals, and bishops) to signify the continuity of our religion with that of the Jews of the Old Testament."

In fact, Jakob, Catholics have been called "spiritual Semites." Many Jews who "convert" to Catholicism in our own time refer to themselves as "completed Jews."

Most Jewish people refer to their caps by a Yiddish name which is transliterated as "yarmulke." It comes from the Polish/Ukrainian "jarmulka," a skullcap.
The cap worn by Catholic prelates is called a "zuchetto," which is the diminutive of "zucca," the Italian word for gourd.

God bless you.
JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), February 24, 2000.

Response to why does pope and jews have the little hat on their head?

Just a little more on the subject, just in case someone is interested: In Spanish we call the little hat Solideo, which comes directly from Latin: Soli Deo (only to God) because the Pope and the bishops remove the hat at the time of the consecration of the bread and wine during the Mass, when Christ makes Himself present at the altar.

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), February 28, 2000.

Response to why does pope and jews have the little hat on their head?

If the pope chooses to acknowledge the Jewish origin of his religion by wearing a yarmulka, then why is it not mandated that practicing catholics do the same?

-- The Recovering Christian (spyal@rmgdigital.com), August 14, 2001.

Response to why does pope and jews have the little hat on their head?

Dear Recovering- ? Did you?
Tomorrow the Pope might mandate it. Or, he might not. Let's hope so? Or let's hope not? Take your pick.

God be with you, and give you His grace. Amen!

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), August 14, 2001.

Response to why does pope and jews have the little hat on their head?

Jmj

Dear "R.C." ("Recovering" your Christianity, I hope),

I'm a bit suprised that you would ask "why is it not mandated that practicing Catholics" also wear a skullcap, if the pope wears one?
Did you miss the answer, which was in the quotation from Dr. Carroll? ...
"The skullcap, traditionally worn by Jewish high priests ..." -- i.e., not originally by all the Jewish faithful.
Thus, it is worn by Catholic "priests" of high rank today, but not by all the Catholic faithful.

God bless you.
John

-- (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 14, 2001.