The Pope Gets a New Hat?

While riding in his 'Popemobile`, Pope Benedict XVI traded in his `zucchetto`, or skull cap, for a wide-brimmed red straw hat in order to protect himself from the sun and also preserve some papal traditions.

The Pope traded in his usual head wear for the `saturno` because of the hot sun that was beating down on him as he rode around in his Popemobile greeting pilgrims. The saturno, made by papal tailor Gammarelli in Rome, is Italian for Saturn. The hat got its name because of its slight resemblance to the ringed planet. This was a hat also worn by Pope John XXIII. Some say Benedict XVI started wearing it because he has a "...fondness for traditional papal head wear, and particularly red hats." The Pope has also brought back into papal fashion the camauro, a hat made from red velvet with white fur trimming, also red. It too was worn by John XXIII, and is also seen in a portrait of Julius II by Raphael painted in 1512. He wore this hat during a general audience along with a red cape. This fashion move, according to the article, gave the pope the appearance of "...a clean-shaven Santa Claus." The article says the Pope is "...keen to show the continuity with the symbols and history of the Church, which links the color red to the suffering of Christ on the cross."