The Pope

The Pope’s official title as given in the Annuario Pontificio (Pontifical Yearbook or Annual Directory of the Holy See) is:

 Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, Servant of the servants of God

You will notice that the best known title of "Pope"(from Latin: papa; from Greek: πάππας pappas a child's word for father), does not appear in the official list. It however is commonly used in the titles of documents, and appears, in abbreviated form, in their signatures. Example Pope John Paul II signed as "Johannes Paulus PP. II" (the "PP." standing for "Papa" or "Pope").

The title "Pope" was from the early 3rd century an honorific designation used for any bishop in the West (west of Constantinople or today’s Istanbul,Turkey). In the East, it was used only for the Bishop of Alexandria. Pope Marcellinus (d. 304) is the first Bishop of Rome shown in sources to have had the title "Pope" used of him. From the 6th century, the imperial chancery of Constantinople normally reserved this designation for the Bishop of Rome. From the early 6th century, it began to be confined in the West to the Bishop of Rome, a practice that was firmly in place by the 11th century, when Pope Gregory VII declared it reserved for the Bishop of Rome.

Titles most commonly used by the Pope is Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff which reflects their authority and supremacy as head of the universal church. We see these titles used in signing documents or publications as head of the church. 

From the Popes titles, it is clear that he has three roles:

1. First as Bishop of the Diocese of Rome
2. Head of the Universal Church as Christ’s Vicar and successor to St Peter
3. Head of State of a country, Vatican City.

Bishop of Rome

The Pope is the Bishop of of the Diocese of Rome, Italy. His official title is also Primate of Italy, as his see is the most distinguished of the Church in Italy, and Metropolitan and Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome.

Bishop of Rome’s Cathedral : Papal Archbasilica of St John Lateran.

The Diocese of Rome, established in the 1st century, has 2,348,905 Catholics, 340 parishes and 711 churches. The territory of the diocese includes Vatican City and Rome, capital city of Italy. The pope is assisted in the running the diocese by the Cardinal Vicar-General of Rome and the Cardinal Vicar-General of Vatican City. 

The territory of Vatican City includes St Peter’s Basilica and one parish, Saint Anne in the Vatican.

The diocese of Rome has 1219 diocesan priests of its own, while 2331 priests of other dioceses, 5072 religious priests and 140 Opus Dei priests reside in its territory, as do 2266 women religious.

The Ecclesiastical Province of Rome (Roman Province) of which the Pope is Metropolitan and Archbishop includes:

  • Diocese of Rome

  • Suburbicarian See of Ostia 

• Suburbicarian See of Albano

• Suburbicarian See of Frascati

• Suburbicarian See of Palestrina

• Suburbicarian See of Porto-Santa Rufina

• Suburbicarian See of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto

• Suburbicarian See of Velletri-Segni

• Archdiocese of Gaeta

• Diocese of Anagni-Alatri

• Diocese of Civita Castellana

• Diocese of Civitavecchia-Tarquinia

• Diocese of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino

• Diocese of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno

• Diocese of Rieti

• Diocese of Sora-Aquino-Pontecorvo

• Diocese of Tivoli

• Diocese of Viterbo

• Territorial Abbey of Montecassino

• Territorial Abbey of San Paolo fuori le Mura

• Territorial Abbey of Subiaco

The Suburbicarian Sees are headed by Cardinal Bishops (which form the 6 most senior cardinals and therefore clergymen of the church by rank). The see of Ostia (being the most senior see) is conferred on the Dean of the College of Cardinals in addition to his own Suburbicarian See. Therefore whilst there are 7 such sees, there are only 6 Cardinal Bishops. The Cardinal Bishop titles are titular and their sees are actually run by the Diocese of Rome under the Cardinal-Vicar of Rome as head.

Successor of the Prince of the Apostles

The Catholic Church teaches that, within the Christian community, the bishops as a body have succeeded to the body of the apostles and the Bishop of Rome has succeeded to Saint Peter. 

Scriptural texts proposed in support of Peter's special position in relation to the church include the words of Jesus to him:

1. I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 
2. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. 
3. Feed my sheep.

The symbolic keys in the papal coats of arms are a reference to the phrase "the keys of the kingdom of heaven" in the first of these texts. 

Catholics recognize the pope as a successor to Saint Peter, whom, according to Roman Catholic teaching, Jesus named as the "shepherd" and "rock" of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic dogma is the one true Church founded by Christ. Peter never bore the title of "pope", which came into use three centuries later, but Catholics traditionally recognize him as the first pope. Official declarations of the Church only speak of the popes as holding within the college of the Bishops a role analogous to that held by Peter within the college of the Apostles, of which the college of the Bishops, a distinct entity, is the successor.

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus personally appointed Peter as leader of the Church and in its dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium makes a clear distinction between apostles and bishops, presenting the latter as the successors of the former, with the pope as successor of Peter in that he is head of the bishops as Peter was head of the apostles.  

Some historians have argued that the notion that Peter was the first bishop of Rome and founded the episcopal see there can be traced back no earlier than the 3rd century. However, the writings of the Church Father Irenaeus who wrote around AD 180 reflect a belief that Peter "founded and organised" the Church at Rome. Moreover, Irenaeus was not the first to write of Peter's presence in the early Roman Church. Clement of Rome wrote in a letter to the Corinthians, c. 96, about the persecution of Christians in Rome as the "struggles in our time" and presented to the Corinthians its heroes, "first, the greatest and most just columns", the "good apostles" Peter and Paul. St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote shortly after Clement and in his letter from the city of Smyrna to the Romans he said he would not command them as Peter and Paul did. Given this and other evidence, many scholars agree that Peter was martyred in Rome under Nero.

First-century Christian communities would have had a group of presbyter-bishops functioning as leaders of their local churches. Gradually, episcopacies were established in metropolitan areas. Antioch may have developed such a structure before Rome. In Rome there were many who claimed to be the rightful bishop though again Irenaeus stressed the validity of one line of bishops from the time of St. Peter up to his contemporary Pope Victor I and listed them. Some writers claim that the emergence of a single bishop in Rome probably did not occur until the middle of the 2nd century. In their view, Linus, Cletus and Clement were possibly prominent presbyter-bishops but not necessarily monarchical bishops. 

In the 1st century and early 2nd century, the Holy See had pre-eminence and prominence in the Church as a whole.

Vicar of Jesus Christ

"Vicar of Jesus Christ" (Vicarius Iesu Christi) and the slightly abbreviated form "Vicar of Christ" (Vicarius Christi) is one of the titles which the Pope is referred to as "Vicar". It is expressive of his supreme headship of the Church on earth, which he bears in virtue of the commission of Christ and with vicarial power derived from him. This vicarial power is believed to have been conferred on Saint Peter when Christ said to him: "Feed my lambs...Feed my sheep" (John 21:16-17).

Supreme Pontiff

The term "pontiff" is derived from the Latin word pontifex, which literally means "bridge builder" (pons + facere) designating a member of the principal college of priests in ancient Rome.  The head of the college was known as the Pontifex Maximus (the greatest pontiff). The office of Pontifex Maximus, or head of the College of Pontiffs, was held by Julius Caesar and thereafter, by the Roman emperors, until Gratian (375-383) relinquished it.The Popes began to use this title regularly only in the 15th century.

One of the Pope’s official titles is "Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church" (in Latin, Summus Pontifex Ecclesiae Universalis) translated as chief priest or head of the college of priests of the universal of whole church. In today’s context, Head of the College of Cardinals. He is more commonly called the Supreme Pontiff or the Sovereign Pontiff (in Latin, Summus Pontifex).

Pontifex Maximus, similar in meaning to Summus Pontifex, is a title commonly found in inscriptions on papal buildings, paintings, statues and coins, usually abbreviated as "Pont. Max" or "P.M." 

Servant of the Servants of God

The description "Servant of the servants of God" was used by other early Church leaders but used extensively as a papal title by Pope St. Gregory the Great, reportedly as a lesson in humility for Patriarch of Constantinople, John the Faster, who had assumed the title "Ecumenical Patriarch". It became reserved for the pope in the 12th century and is used in papal bulls and similar important papal documents.

Patriarch of the West

From 1863 until 2005, the Annuario Pontificio included also the title "Patriarch of the West". This title was first used by Pope Theodore I in 642, and was only used occasionally. On 22 March 2006, the Vatican released a statement explaining this omission on the grounds of expressing a "historical and theological reality" and of "being useful to ecumenical dialogue". The title Patriarch of the West symbolized the pope's special relationship with, and jurisdiction over, the Latin Church. The omission of the title neither symbolizes in any way a change in this relationship, nor distorts the relationship between the Holy See and the Eastern Churches, as solemnly proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council. The title has been since been omitted.

Sovereign of the State of Vatican City 

Since its establishment by the Lateran Treaty in 1929, the Pope is absolute monarch of the state or country called Vatican City. He is sovereign and head of state of this city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. 

Address & Style

During a formal introduction, the Pope should be introduced as “His Holiness, Pope (Name).” 

He should be directly addressed as “Your Holiness” (Sua or Vostra Santita, in Italian) or "Holy Father" (Santo Padre , in Italian)

In Italian, "Beatissimo Padre" (Most Blessed Father) is also often used or “Santissimo Padre" (Most Holy Father). 

On paper, as “His Holiness, Pope (Name)” or “The Sovereign Pontiff, His Holiness (Name).” 

Protocol

Men should wear a dark suit and tie and remove their hats in his presence, while women should wear black dresses and have their heads and arms covered. (White for women is a privilege reserved to Catholic queens and a select few royals.) 

Stand when he enters a room (until he invites you to sit) and again when he leaves it. When introduced, kneel on your left knee and kiss his ring; repeat before he leaves.

Papal Regalia 

Papal regalia and insignia are the official items of attire and decoration proper to the Pope in his capacity as the head of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.

Triregnum

The triregnum (a crown with three levels) is among the regalia of the papacy. It is also called the triple tiara or triple crown. "Tiara" is the name of the headdress, even in the forms it had before a third crown was added to it. From 1143 to 1963, the papal tiara was solemnly placed on the pope's head during a papal coronation. Paul VI was the last one to use it on 30 June 1963, at his coronation. For several centuries, Popes have worn it during processions, as when entering or leaving Saint Peter's Basilica, but during liturgies they used an episcopal mitre instead. Pope Benedict XVI has replaced the tiara with a mitre on his personal coat of arms, but not on the coat of arms of the Holy See or of the Vatican City State.

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)". Others interpret the three tiers as meaning "father of princes and kings, ruler of the world, vicar of Christ". 

Yet others have associated it with the threefold office of Christ, who is Priest, Prophet and King, or "teacher, lawmaker and judge". Pope Benedict XVI's tiara-less coat of arms represented "order, jurisdiction and magisterium".

The words that were used when popes were crowned were: Accipe tiaram tribus coronis ornatam, et scias te esse patrem principum et regum, rectorem orbis in terra vicarium Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi, cui est honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum ("Receive the tiara adorned with three crowns and know that thou art father of princes and kings, the ruler of the world on earth, the vicar of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory through all ages").

Ring of the Fisherman

The Ring of the Fisherman, also known as the Piscatory Ring, Annulus Piscatoris (in Latin) and the Anello Piscatorio (in Italian), is an official part of the regalia worn by the Pope, who is head of the Catholic Church and successor of Saint Peter, who was a fisherman by trade. It used to feature a bas-relief of Peter fishing from a boat, a symbolism derived from the tradition that the apostles were "fishers of men" (Mark 1:17). The Fisherman's Ring is a signet used until 1842 to seal official documents signed by the Pope.

The Ring of the Fisherman is 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.

A new gold ring is cast for each Pope. Around the image (a depiction of St. Peter in a boat casting his net) is the reigning Pope's Latin name in raised lettering. During the ceremony of a Papal coronation or Papal inauguration, the Dean of the College of Cardinals slips the ring on the third finger of the new Pope's right hand. 

Upon a papal death, the ring used to be ceremonially destroyed using a papal silver hammer in the presence of other Cardinals by the Camerlengo. This used to be in order to prevent the sealing of backdated, forged documents during the interregnum, or sede vacante. Nowadays the obliteration of the signet is just a symbol of the end of rule of the pope, who used to wear that ring. This custom was also followed after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI by applying a deep cut on the signet.

Although Pope Benedict XVI wore his Fisherman's Ring daily, it is not the custom for popes to wear it at all. Generally, a new pope will either inherit the daily-wear ring of his predecessor or will choose a new daily-wear style. Pope John Paul I wore a wide gold band; in imitation of this, Pope John Paul II wore a wide gold crucifix in the form of a ring. 

Generally, popes of the past wore episcopal rings in keeping with the fashions of the time. Pope Pius XII, for example, often wore a heavily ornate ring set with a stone. Pope Pius IX most often wore a cameo of himself, made entirely of tiny diamonds, whilst Pope Pius X wore a simple, smaller stone-set ring.

Papal Crozier

Modern popes do not bear a crozier (a bent pastoral staff styled after a shepherd's crook), but rather bear the Papal Cross, a staff topped by a crucifix. The use of the papal cross is an ancient custom, established before the thirteenth century, though some popes since then, notably Pope Leo XIII, have used a crozier-like staff.

Sedia gestatoria

One (now discontinued) Papal regalia was the Sedia gestatoria, a portable throne or armchair carried by twelve footmen (palafrenieri) traditionally wearing red. The sedia gestatoria is accompanied by two attendants bearing the Flabella, large ceremonial fans made of white ostrich-feathers, which also had a practical intent in cooling the pope, given the heat of Rome in summer months, the length of papal ceremonies, the heavy papal vestments and the fact that most popes were elderly. The sedia gestatoria was used for the Pope's solemn entrance into a church or hall and for his departure on the occasion of liturgical celebrations such as a papal Mass and for papal audiences. The use of the sedia gestatoria was discontinued by Pope John Paul II, that of the flabella by Pope Paul VI. Neither has been abolished however.

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI used a modern day version of the Sedia Gestatoria in liturgical processions in the last years of their pontificates. However, it was more as an aid to assist them because they had difficulty in walking due to old age. It was more of a regal wheelchair to preserve their papal dignity rather than any revival of a mobile throne.    

     

Pallium

Pallium, or pall, a circular band of fabric worn around the neck over the chasuble. It forms a yoke about the neck, breast and shoulders and has two pendants hanging down in front and behind, and is ornamented with six red crosses. The 3 pins inserted on top of the crosses on the front, left and back (not the lappet crosses), are symbolic of the nails with which Christ was crucified. 

Only the Pope wears the Pallium by right and he may wear it at all ecclesiastical functions without restriction. The pallium symbolizes the plenitudo pontificalis officii (i.e., the "plenitude of pontifical office") of the Pope.

The pallium is conferred by the pope to metropolitans typifying their participation in the supreme pastoral power of the pope, who concedes it to them for their proper church provinces. 

Previously, the pallium worn by the Pope was identical to those he granted to the metropolitans, but in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI began to use a distinct papal pallium that is larger than the primatial, and was adorned with red crosses instead of black symbolizing the blood of Christ. It was later modified to a similar design with those conferred to metropolitans  but with slightly larger red crosses instead of black.

Umbraculum

The Umbraculum (better known in the Italian form ombrellino or “little umbrella”) is a canopy or umbrella consisting of alternating red and gold stripes, which used to be carried above the pope in processions. It is a historic piece of the papal regalia and insignia, once used on a daily basis to provide shade for the pope.

 Also known as the pavilion, in modern usage the umbraculum is a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church and the authority of a pope over it. It is found in the contemporary Church at all the basilicas throughout the world, placed prominently at the right of their main altars. Whenever a pope visits a basilica, its umbraculum is opened.

The umbraculum is one of the symbols bestowed by the pope when he elevates a church to the rank of a minor basilica. The umbraculum of a major basilica being made of cloth of gold and red velvet, while that of a minor basilica is made of yellow and red silk. The umbraculum is also represented behind the shield in the coat of arms of a basilica.

The controversial Borgia Pope Alexander VI was the first pope to use the umbraculum as a symbol of the temporal powers of the papacy. Royalty during those days commonly walked outdoors under a canopy. A member of the Papal Gentlemen would often follow behind a pope with the umbraculum in hand.

The umbraculum is part of the coat of arms of the Holy See sede vacante, i.e., between the reigns of two popes. It was first used as an interregnal emblem in this way on coins minted in 1521. The coat of arms of the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, who exercises the temporal sovereignty of the Holy See during a sede vacante, are also ornamented with a pair of gold and silver keys in saltire surmounted by an umbraculum.

Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven

The insignia or emblem of the papacy includes the image of two Crossed Keys beneath a tritergnum (papal tiara), one gold and one silver, bound with a red cord. This represents the "keys to the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 16:19; cf. Isaiah 22:22) and is in many ways the quintessential symbol of the Papacy as an institution and of its central role within the Catholic Church. 

Jesus's statement to Simon Peter, "whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven", is understood in Roman Catholic theology as establishing two jurisdictions, Heaven and Earth. The silver and gold keys are said to represent these two jurisdictions. The silver key symbolises the power to bind and loose on Earth, and the gold key the power to bind and loose in Heaven. The interlacing cord indicating the linking between the two aspects of the power, and the handles of the key being at the base to symbolize the power being in the hands of the pope.

When the emblem of the Papacy is placed on a red backing, it becomes the Coat of Arms of the Papacy.

The order of the keys on the coat of arms of Vatican City State is the reverse of the coat of arms of the Holy See, in order to distinguish between the two entities. The silver key is placed in the dexter position. The gold key represents spiritual power, while the silver key represents worldly power. 

The yellow and white flag of Vatican City also makes use of this emblem on the right hand side in the white half of the flag. The yellow and white colours were first adopted in 1808 as the flag of the personal guard of Pius VII, when the other forces of what had been the Papal States were brought under Napoleon's control. The previous flag was red and gold, the traditional colours of the city of Rome. The 1808 flag was of course not that of Vatican City, which did not come into existence until 1929.

Papal Personal Coat of Arms

For at least some eight centuries, each pope has displayed his own personal coat of arms,representing symbols referring to his family, past or his aspirations. 

From the late 15th century, this personal coat of arms coexisted alongside that of the Holy See and was often shown with additional ornaments, such as a papal tiara or the keys of Peter.

Even before the early modern period, a man who did not have a family coat of arms would assume one upon becoming a bishop, as men did when knighted or on achieving some other prominence. Some who already had an episcopal coat of arms altered it on being elected to the papal throne.

Papal coats of arms are traditionally shown with an image of the papal tiara and the keys of Peter as an external ornament of the escutcheon. The tiara is usually set above the escutcheon, while the keys are in saltire, passing behind it (formerly also en cimier, below the tiara and above the shield). In modern times, the dexter and sinister keys are usually shown in gold and silver respectively. Benedict XVI in 2005 deviated from tradition in replacing the tiara with the mitre and pallium which was followed by Francis using the mitre without pallium (see above coat of arms of Popes John Paul , John Paul II, Benedict XVI & Francis I from left to right).

Papal Vestments

The Pope wears the same vestments of a bishop with the following differences:

The Pope wears the Papal Pallium.  It is fixed in place by three golden pins, symbolic of the nails with which Christ was crucified and is worn over his chasuble when celebrating Mass.

Fanon

A vestment which is restricted to the pope alone is the Fanon made out of alternating silver and gold stripes. The fanon is similar to a shawl, one end of which is passed under the stole and the second over the chasuble; the pallium is then placed over the fanon. The fanon has gone out of common use in recent times but its use has not been altogether abolished, as Pope John Paul II made use of the fanon on a few occasions and Pope Benedict XVI used it as well.

Prior to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, there were a number of other vestments which were worn only by the pope:

• The Sub-cinctorium—a strip of embroidered fabric similar to a maniple which was suspended from the cincture. It was embroidered with a cross and the Agnus Dei.

• The Falda—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 had train-bearers both in front and in back whenever he walked.

• The Mantum—a very long cope worn only by the pope. Originally, it was red in color, but later was made to correspond to the liturgical colours.

When the pope would stand on his throne or at the sedia gestatoria, both the falda and the mantum would flow down to the lower steps, and had the effect of making the pope look taller than the other dignitaries present. All three of these vestments were discontinued during the reign of Pope Paul VI, but not abolished.

Papal Episcopal Staff

The papal cross or ferula is the episcopal staff used by the Pope. This is in contrast to other bishops, who use a crozier. 

The pontifical staff is a liturgical insignia to signify the pope’s episcopal authority, jurisdiction and temporal power.

The use of the staff was never a part of the papal liturgy, except on some occasions such as the opening of the Holy Door and the consecration of churches, during which the pope took hold of the staff to knock on the door three times and to trace the Greek and Latin letters on the floor of the church. 

The reason why the pope did not use the staff resides in the fact that the staff was a symbol of investiture of a newly elected bishop given to him by the metropolitan archbishop or by another bishop. The pope, however, did not receive investiture from another bishop, the pope receives his power from God alone. 

In the late Middle Ages, the popes also used as a staff a crozier with a triple cross.

In the past, this design of the triple cross was often used in ecclesiastical heraldry, as a distinctive mark of his office. It has three horizontal bars near the top, in diminishing order of length as the top is approached. It is thus analogous to the two-barred cross used in heraldry to indicate an archbishop, and seems to have been used precisely to indicate an ecclesiastical rank still higher than that of archbishop.

Symbolism connected with the papal powers have been attached to the three crossbars, similar to the symbolism attached, with greater historical foundation, to the three bands on the papal tiara. 

The crossbars have also been said to represent the three crosses on Calvary, to represent the Father, Son & Holy Spirit and the 3 theological virtues of Faith, Hope & Love.

They also correspond to several ecclesiological positions, including:

• the Pope's triple roles as leader of worship, teacher and community leader

• the Pope's triple religious authorities as Bishop of Rome, Patriarch of the West, and successor of St Peter, Chief of the Apostles

• the Pope's powers and responsibilities: temporal, spiritual, and material

• the Pope's extra bar of authority over the two-bar Archiepiscopal or Patriarchal cross

The papal cross is an emblem of the papal court. It was carried before the Roman pontiff in processions or was used by him as his pastoral staff. 

After Pope Paul VI’s election in 1963, he commissioned a Neopolitan sculptor by the name of Lello Scorzelli to design a pastoral staff to be used during solemn liturgical celebrations. This silver crozier (formally known as a “ferula” in Italian) went back to the traditional type of staff that took the form of a cross, accompanied however by the corpus of the Crucified One. Paul VI used this crozier for the first time for the closing of the Second Vatican Council, on 8 December 1965. Afterwards, he used this crozier – often but not always in liturgical celebrations – as any bishop makes of his crozier. On certain occasions, Paul VI and John Paul II also used the triple cross as insignia.

In 1990, Scorzelli made Blessed John Paul a second cross, similar in design, but lighter. 

 On Palm Sunday 2008, Pope Benedict XVI substituted this staff, used also by Pope John Paul I, Pope John Paul II, and by himself, with a staff surmounted by a gold cross, that had been given as a gift to Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1877, by the Circolo San Pietro, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his episcopal consecration. This crozier had already been used by Blessed Pope John XXIII for various liturgical celebrations during Vatican II.

With the celebration of First Vespers for Advent 2009, the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, began to use a new staff, given to him by the Circolo San Pietro, similar in style to that of Pius IX.

Pope Francis used this staff at his installation mass in March 2013. A vestment which is restricted to the pope alone is the Fanon made out of alternating silver and gold stripes. The fanon is similar to a shawl, one end of which is passed under the stole and the second over the chasuble; the pallium is then placed over the fanon. The fanon has gone out of common use in recent times but its use has not been altogether abolished, as Pope John Paul II made use of the fanon on a few occasions.

Pope’s Choir Dress

Choir dress is worn when attending (but not celebrating) services, and formal occasions, such as audiences. 

The Pope wears a white cassock and white zucchetto(skull cap). Only the Pope is permitted to wear a cassock made out of watered silk. The cassock used to have a train on it, but Pope Pius XII discontinued this custom. A white fascia also made out of watered silk is fastened about the waist, the ends of which fall down past the knees and are often embroidered with the Pope's coat of arms terminating in a simpler gold fringe. 

Over his cassock the Pope will wear a white lace rochet. Over the rochet is worn the red Papal mozzetta, a shoulder cape that has a collar and is buttoned all the way down the front. The red color is a vestige from the days when scarlet was the Papal color (white only became associated with the papacy after the Napoleonic wars). The Papal mozzetta had a small hood on the back, which disappeared after Vatican II but has recently been restored. In wintertime, the Papal mozzetta is of red velvet trimmed with ermine (this also fell out of use after Vatican II, but Pope Benedict XVI began again to wear a winter mozzetta trimmed in ermine fur). 

In summer, the Papal mozzetta is of red satin. The Pope wears a pectoral cross suspended on a gold cord over the mozzetta. He may also choose to wear a red stole with gold embroidery over the mozzetta, even when he is not officiating at a service.

Traditionally during the Octave of Easter, the Pope wears the white paschal mozzetta, which is of white damask silk trimmed with white ermine. While the paschal mozzetta fell out of use during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, it was returned to use in 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI. 

Since the 13th Century many Papal portraits have shown the pontiff wearing the camauro, a red velvet cap which covers the ears, and is trimmed with ermine. The camauro fell out of fashion with the death of Pope John XXIII, but has recently been revived by Pope Benedict XVI. 

Traditionally, he wears special red satin or velvet Papal slippers indoors, and red leather Papal shoes outdoors. The Papal shoes were traditionally red, though Pope John Paul II would sometimes wear black or brown leather shoes. Pope Benedict XVI restored the use of the traditional red Papal shoes, but Pope Francis has reverted to black shoes.

Pope’s Ordinary Dress

The pope's ordinary dress (also called house dress), which is worn for daily use outside of liturgical functions, consists of a white simar (cassock with a shoulder cape attached to it) girded with the fringed white fascia (often with the papal coat of arms embroidered on it), the pectoral cross suspended from a gold cord, the red papal shoes, and the white zucchetto. 

On more formal occasions, the pope may wear a red cape similar to the ferraiuolo except for its gold decoration. Alternatively, he may wear a red cape with a shoulder cape attached. Outdoors, the pope may wear the cappello romano, a wide-brimmed hat used by all grades of clergy. While most other clergy wear a black cappello romano, the pope's is usually red (although it may also be white).

      

Powers of the Pope

Residence and Jurisdiction

The pope's official seat or cathedral is the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and his official residence is the Apostolic Palace. He also possesses a summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, situated on the Alban Hills (site of the ancient city of Alba Longa), 24 km southeast of Rome. Until the time of the Avignon Papacy, the residence of the Pope was the Lateran Palace, donated by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

The Pope's ecclesiastical jurisdiction (the Holy See) is distinct from his secular jurisdiction (Vatican City). It is the Holy See that conducts international relations; for hundreds of years, the papal court (the Roman Curia) has functioned as the government of the Catholic Church.

The names "Holy See" and "Apostolic See" are ecclesiastical terminology for the ordinary jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome (including the Roman Curia). The pope's various honors, powers, and privileges within the Catholic Church and the international community derive from his Episcopate of Rome in lineal succession from the Apostle Saint Peter (see Apostolic succession). 

Consequently, Rome has traditionally occupied a central position in the Catholic Church, although this is not necessarily so. The Pope derives his pontificate from being Bishop of Rome but is not required to live there. According to the Latin formula ubi Papa, ibi Curia, wherever the Pope resides is the central government of the Church, provided that the pope is Bishop of Rome. As such, between 1309 and 1378, the popes lived in Avignon, France with full jurisdiction.

Though the Pope is the diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Rome, he delegates most of the day-to-day work of leading the diocese to the Cardinal Vicar, who assures direct episcopal oversight of the diocese's pastoral needs, not in his own name but in that of the Pope. 

 Political Powers

Though the progressive ‘Christianisation’ of the Roman Empire in the 4th century did not confer upon bishops civil authority within the state, the gradual withdrawal of imperial authority during the 5th century left the pope as the senior imperial civilian official in Rome, as bishops were increasingly directing civil affairs in other cities of the Western Empire. 

This status as a secular and civil ruler was vividly displayed by Pope Leo I's confrontation with Attila the Hun (ruler of the Huns, feared enemy of the Roman Empire) in 452 where the pope forced Attila to turn around his invading armies from attacking Rome (possibly with gold, nobody knows for sure).

 The first expansion of papal rule outside of Rome came in 728 with the Donation of Sutri (an agreement between Liutprand, King of the Lombards and Pope Gregory II by which the city and some hill towns in Latium were given to the Papacy). The expansion was substantially increased in 754, when the Frankish ruler Pippin the Younger gave to the pope the land from his conquest of the Lombards. 

The pope may have utilized the Donation of Constantine (a forged Roman Imperial decree) to gain this land, which formed the core of the Papal States. This document, accepted as genuine until the 15th century, states that Constantine the Great placed the entire Western Empire of Rome under papal rule. 

Content of the Donation dated 30 March c.315-317 AD 

Constantine determined to bestow on the see of Peter "power, and dignity of glory, and vigour, and honour imperial", and "supremacy as well over the four principal sees, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Constantinople, as also over all the churches of God in the whole earth". For the upkeep of the church of Saint Peter and that of Saint Paul, he gave landed estates "in Judea, Greece, Asia, Thrace, Africa, Italy and the various islands". To Pope Sylvester and his successors he also granted imperial insignia, the tiara, and "the city of Rome, and all the provinces, places and cities of Italy and the western regions".

The pope's sovereignty over the Papal States ended in 1870 with their annexation by Italy.

Crowning of Emperors

In 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish ruler Charlemagne as Roman Emperor, a major step toward establishing what later became known as the Holy Roman Empire. From that date onward the popes claimed the prerogative to crown the Emperor, though the right fell into disuse after the coronation of Charles V in 1530. Pope Pius VII was present at the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804, but did not actually perform the crowning. 

Popes like Alexander VI (the Borgia pope), an ambitious if spectacularly corrupt politician, and Pope Julius II, a formidable general and statesman, were not afraid to use power to achieve their own ends, which included increasing the power of the papacy. 

This political and temporal authority was demonstrated through the papal role in the Holy Roman Empire (especially prominent during periods of contention with the Emperors, such as during the Pontificates of Pope Gregory VII and Pope Alexander III). Papal bulls, interdict, and excommunication (or the threat thereof) have been used many times to increase papal power. The Bull Laudabiliter in 1155 authorized Henry II of England to invade Ireland. In 1207, Innocent III placed England under interdict (sanction) until King John made his kingdom a fiefdom to the Pope, complete with yearly tribute, saying, "we offer and freely yield...to our lord Pope Innocent III and his catholic successors, the whole kingdom of England and the whole kingdom of Ireland with all their rights and appurtenences for the remission of our sins".

The Bull Inter caetera in 1493 led to the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which divided the world into areas of Spanish and Portuguese rule. The Bull Regnans in Excelsis in 1570 excommunicated Elizabeth I of England and declared that all her subjects were released from all allegiance to her. The Bull, Inter gravissimas, in 1582 established the Gregorian calendar.

International Position of the Pope, Sovereign Head of State

Under international law, a serving head of state has sovereign immunity from the jurisdiction of the courts of other countries, though not from that of international tribunals. This immunity is sometimes loosely referred to as "diplomatic immunity", which is, strictly speaking, the immunity enjoyed by the diplomatic representatives of a head of state.

International law treats the Holy See, essentially the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, as the juridical equal of a state. It is distinct from the state of Vatican City, existing for many centuries before the foundation of the latter. (It is common, however, for publications to use "Holy See", "Vatican/Vatican City", and even "Rome" interchangeably, and incorrectly.) 

Most countries of the world maintain the same form of diplomatic relations with the Holy See (not Vatican City) that they entertain with other states. Even countries without those diplomatic relations participate in international organizations of which the Holy See is a full member.

In the United States, it is as head of the Holy See, not of Vatican City, that the U.S. Justice Department ruled that the Pope enjoys head-of-state immunity. This head-of-state immunity, recognized by the United States must be distinguished from the United States' Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, which, while recognizing the basic immunity of foreign governments from being sued in American courts, lays down nine exceptions, including commercial activity and actions in the United States by agents or employees of the foreign governments. Why is this relevant? 

It is because in November 2008, the United States Court of Appeals in Cincinnati (relying on the exceptions of the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act) decided that a case over sexual abuse by Catholic priests could proceed, provided the plaintiffs could prove that the bishops accused of negligent supervision were acting as employees or agents of the Holy See and were following official Holy See policy. The Pope therefore enjoys immunity.

Infallibility

This is the most misunderstood power of the Pope by both Catholics and Non-Catholics. It is discussed in detail in a separate topic and briefly addressed here. In simple words, the Pope is NOT infallible for every word that comes out of his mouth. 

He may invoke the power of being infallible ONLY if he speaks “ex cathedra” (when in the discharge of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, and by virtue of his supreme apostolic authority) and ONLY on matters that define a doctrine concerning faith or morals.

Speaking ex-cathedra is a very big thing. The Pope has to make a trip down to  his cathedral, put on his vestments (mitre and papal cozier in hand), assemble the church community, sit on his throne (or stand) at his Archbasilica of St John Lateran in his capacity of Bishop of Rome and declare that whatever he is going to say is infallible. In fact, it is the teaching and not the precise word, language or grammar that he speaks. The pope will have to decree the infallible teaching through a formula such as "By the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by Our own authority, We declare, pronounce and define the doctrine . . . to be revealed by God and as such to be firmly and immutably held by all the faithful”.

It is therefore clear that unless the Pope decrees an infallible teaching from his bishop’s throne, whatever he says or teaches in speeches, talks and homilies are not infallible. Pope John XXIII once remarked: "I am only infallible if I speak infallibly but I shall never do that, so I am not infallible"

Infallibility is rarely used. The last known infallible declaration was over 60 years ago by Pope Pius XII, 1950, defining the Assumption of Mary.

The power of the pope’s infallibility was dogmatically defined in the First Vatican Council’s declaration in 1870. The council declared:  “We, adhering faithfully to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, to the glory of God, our Saviour, the elevation of the Catholic religion and the salvation of Christian peoples, with the approbation of the sacred Council, teach and explain that the dogma has been divinely revealed: that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when carrying out the duty of the pastor and teacher of all Christians by his supreme apostolic authority he defines a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, through the divine assistance promised him in blessed Peter, operates with that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer wished that His church be instructed in defining doctrine on faith and morals; and so such definitions of the Roman Pontiff from himself, but not from the consensus of the Church, are unalterable. But if anyone presumes to contradict this definition of Ours, which may God forbid: let him be anathema.”

The Second Vatican Council in 1964 declared: “... this infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed in defining doctrine of faith and morals, extends as far as the deposit of Revelation extends, which must be religiously guarded and faithfully expounded. And this is the infallibility which the Roman Pontiff, the head of the college of bishops, enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in their faith, by a definitive act he proclaims a doctrine of faith or morals. And therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, are justly styled irreformable, since they are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, promised to him in blessed Peter, and therefore they need no approval of others, nor do they allow an appeal to any other judgment. For then the Roman Pontiff is not pronouncing judgment as a private person, but as the supreme teacher of the universal Church, in whom the charism of infallibility of the Church itself is individually present, he is expounding or defending a doctrine of Catholic faith. The infallibility promised to the Church resides also in the body of Bishops, when that body exercises the supreme magisterium with the successor of Peter. To these definitions the assent of the Church can never be wanting, on account of the activity of that same Holy Spirit, by which the whole flock of Christ is preserved and progresses in unity of faith."