The papal tiara is first mentioned in the account of the life of Pope Constantine (708-715) in the Liber Pontificalis; here it was called a “camelaucum,” which was part of the Byzantine court dress and looked like a “papal cap” made of white cloth; Pope St. Gregory the Great (died 604) was depicted in artwork wearing such a cap.

The papal crown, or tiara, was traditionally worn by the Popes of the past few centuries until the pontificate of Pope John Paul I. Like many ceremonial items, the papal tiara developed over time. Since the Pope is also the Bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter, he wears a mitre for liturgical ceremonies; some historians posit that this ...

On January 16, 2001, Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State of the Holy See; Cardinal Noe, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica; and Leonardo Sandri, opened the tomb of Blessed Pope John XXIII, who was beatified on September 3, 2000 (Blessed Pope …

When a Mason reaches the 30th degree in the Masonic hierarchy, called the “Kadosh,” the man crushes with his foot the papal tiara and the royal crown, and swears to free mankind “from the bondage of despotism and the thraldom of spiritual tyranny.” Now pause for a moment: Would a sincere Catholic commit such an action? In a word, “No.”

A papal “bull” is a very dramatic way of presenting such a solemn pronouncement. Written on parchment, a lead seal (bulla) is attached with cords of silk. On one side of the seal would be the image of the reigning pope, and the other side would bear the images of St. Peter and St. Paul.

Unfortunately with the revival of Roman law, the Inquisition sometimes used torture to gain a confession. However, remember that torture was used regularly in matters involving civil law. As a matter of fact, as early as the fourteenth century, papal intervention curbed the …

Individual cardinals also preside over an office of the Curia or serve on a papal commission. For example, Cardinal Ratzinger is Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Officially, the cardinals still hold ranks which reflect the origin of the office: episcopal (bishop), presbyteral (priest), and diaconal (deacon).

Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church asserted, “This sacred council accepts loyally the venerable faith of our ancestors in the living communion which exists between us and our brothers who are in the glory of heaven or who are … Continued

The word conclave derives from the Latin “with key.” The great historical example that inspired “the conclave” occurred in 1268. When Pope Clement IV died that year, the cardinals met at the papal palace at Viterbo, Italy. Due to political pressures, they …

On his first trip to Poland in 1979, Pope John Paul II visited the shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. He said, “The call of a son of Poland to the Cathedral of St. Peter contains an evident and strong … Continued