Pope Drops Papal Crown From Coat of Arms, Adds Miter, Pallium (Not Exactly)

Catholic News Service ^ | 4/27/2005 | Carol Glatz

[Mike Fieschko]

Just finished listening to this wonderful podcast. Thank you SO MUCH for posting the link to it.

You're very welcome. I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

You might also enjoy listening to Vatican Radio's podcasts. The site is 105live.vaticanradio.org and the podcast feed and archives page is Vatican Radio One-O-Five Live. They don't keep a lot of older broadcasts archived, maybe a week or so, so if you miss a day, get that day before it's removed.

You can get programs which will automatically download podcasts from Catholic Insider, 105 Live and lots of other podcasts, just as your email program gets your mail at set intervals. I use one to burn a rewritable CD to listen to while working, instead of the radio.

[Unam Sanctam]

I don't approve. Please, please, please don't drop the tiara. It's bad enough there's no more coronation. They'll be dropping it from the papal flag next. The tiara is an historic symbol of long standing and should not be eliminated.

[Yossarian]

Two hours and 30 posts later, and no one laughs at my joke? Tough crowd tonight....

[TradicalRC]

Gratias is Latin.

Then why did you put it in Italics?

[Ciexyz]

"Then why did you put it in Italics?"

Har har!

[TradicalRC]

Okay, it was funny. Two bears are in a bar. One turns to the other and says "What's ursine?"

[Yossarian]

HA!

[lainde]

bttt

[STARWISE]

Thank you SO much for posting the link to that podcast (a totally new concept and word for me ;). It was glorious to relive that joyful time.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

I don't approve. Please, please, please don't drop the tiara. It's bad enough there's no more coronation. They'll be dropping it from the papal flag next. The tiara is an historic symbol of long standing and should not be eliminated.

The triple Tiara goes back only to Boniface VIII, with his overreaching attempts to be king of the earth.

Neither Pope St. Gregory VII, nor St. Leo IX never wore one, nor did Popes St. Agatho, Martin I, Gregory the Great, Leo the Great, or Damasus.

What is the big deal? Christ didn't crown St. Peter with a Tiara.

[Aquinasfan]

The papal crown has been given the boot once again, this time no longer appearing as part of the new pope's coat of arms.

I like the three-tiered tiara myself, never having seen a pope wear it. The sedan chair seemed a bit much, but I'm not crazy about the popemobile either.

Anyone know the history of the three-tiered tiara?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

The catholic encyclopedia has this history:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14714c.htm

[Aquinasfan]

Thanks. It's interesting to me that the three-tiered crown came into use in the Scholastic era.

The first notice of three crowns is contained in an inventory of the papal treasure of the year 1315 or 1316.

The symbolism of the crown makes sense to me, and can serve a useful purpose as a teaching tool. I also personally prefer the bishops' crowns of the Eastern Rites to the mitres of the Latin Rite.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

smack during the Avignon papacy...not a time when the papacy was really in control of much temporal power....

[TradicalRC]

Haven't seen your posts in many moons, good to see you again. What do you think of the Holy Spirit's choice for the new Pope?

[Romulus]

I like the three-tiered tiara myself, never having seen a pope wear it. The sedan chair seemed a bit much,

I can learn to live without the tiara, but I really do miss the sedia gestatoria. I don't think there's any coherent reason to reject it. Its chief function is to provide visibility: the popemobile and JPII's more recent rolling platform provide the same function but with far less poetry and beauty. The platform in particular is undignified, a sort of parade float that makes the Holy Father into a pageant queen. The sedia is preferable precisely because it is supported by men: it underscores the unique dignity of the papacy and affords the faithful a participation in the -- literally -- basic symbolism of lending their bodies to uphold the papacy. There are ancient traditions of beloved dignitaries receiving similar honors: Roman commanders were "exalted" on the shields of their soldiers. Leaders in carriages or chariots had their horses taken away and instead were drawn through the streets by enthusiastic young men. In our own time and country, it's not uncommon for a sports hero to be hoisted to the shoulders of his teammates, to demonstrate their respect and gratitude. Catholics are an incarnational people; it's good when they resort to physical ways of acting out their faith. That our age reduces all of this to a myth of papal pride and folie de grandeur only points out how shallow and ignorant we are.

[dangus]

That's not a Papal tiara???

[Aquinasfan]

the popemobile and JPII's more recent rolling platform provide the same function but with far less poetry and beauty. The platform in particular is undignified, a sort of parade float that makes the Holy Father into a pageant queen. The sedia is preferable precisely because it is supported by men: it underscores the unique dignity of the papacy and affords the faithful a participation in the -- literally -- basic symbolism of lending their bodies to uphold the papacy. There are ancient traditions of beloved dignitaries receiving similar honors: Roman commanders were "exalted" on the shields of their soldiers. Leaders in carriages or chariots had their horses taken away and instead were drawn through the streets by enthusiastic young men. In our own time and country, it's not uncommon for a sports hero to be hoisted to the shoulders of his teammates, to demonstrate their respect and gratitude. Catholics are an incarnational people; it's good when they resort to physical ways of acting out their faith. That our age reduces all of this to a myth of papal pride and folie de grandeur only points out how shallow and ignorant we are.

Beautifully put.

The only argument against the practice is the opportunity for misunderstanding and the occassion for derision it would present for anti-Catholic bigots.

Overall, it's a tough call. But your argument in favor is stronger, IMO.

[ArrogantBustard]

occassion for derision it would present for anti-Catholic bigots.

The anti-Catholic bigots will exercise their bigotry regardless of what we do.