The Change of the Coat-of-Arms
Many have already noted an interesting change made the other day in the Pope's coat-of-arms, without any official announcement.
In keeping with e tradition which goes back to Pope Paul VI and expecially Pope John Paul I, who wished to downplay the "regal" aspects of the Petrine office and emphasize instead the "episcopal" aspect of the role of the Bishop of Rome, Benedict began his pontificate with a coat-of-arms which did not include the triple crown, the papal tiara, but rather displayed the bishop's mitre.
On Sunday, the cloth unfurled under his window in the Apostolic Palace as he prayed the Angelus contained the tiara.
The actual crown itself, the Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, the Triregnum or the Triregno, is the three-tiered papal crown worn by Popes from Pope Clement V up to and including Pope Paul VI, who was crowned in 1963.
The crown has not been worn by any of Pope Paul's successors, but it has not been abolished and it remains the symbol of the papacy and the Holy See, featured in the coat-of-arms of the Vatican and on many papal coats-of-arms.
What does it mean that the Pope seems to have decided to restore the tiara? But, are we even sure he has been informed? No one seems to know. I'll try to get the answer in coming days.
Deacon John
HT: LC
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