I read something about these - I believe they were designed to “blend” the style of the full cape-like really old vestments with the fiddle-back style that later became popular. I don’t know if this particular set is actually an old one itself, or if it was created just for the Holy Father.
To me, they almost look like Orthodox vestments. They’re both dignified and dramatic.
My attention was immediately drawn to the stole.
Compare the one worn by the pope to this one worn by St. Maron. The Maronite Church traces its origin to St. Maron, a Syrian hermit of the 4th – 5th century AD, and St. John Maron, under whom the invading Byzantine forces were defeated in 684. His feast day is this Saturday, February 9, and a holy day of obligation.
