Traditional Anglo-Papist

18 July 2006

What happened to the Papal Coat of Arms?

I was just reading the Wikipedia article on Papal Coat of Arms. At the bottom of the article is a number of examples of coat of arms for past popes. Notice anything? Sure did. Here is an example, the Papal Coat of Arms of Pius XI:Notice the keys and the tiara - signs of the papacy.

Now here is the Papal Coat of Arms of present Holy Father:The keys are there (just!) but where is the tiara?

posted by Bob Catholic at 4:26 PM

7 Comments:

  • I believe JPII is the one who jettisoned the triple tiara, isn't he?

    By Blogger Texanglican (R.W. Foster+), at Wednesday, July 19, 2006 3:42:00 AM  

  • JPII had the tiara on the coat of arms, as did the previous ones, but didn't actually wear one, obviously. I think B16 is the first to actually use a mere mitre on the coat of arms.

    By Blogger Adam, at Wednesday, July 19, 2006 4:16:00 AM  

  • I've also seen versions of +++B-XVI's coat of arms with the papal tiara. I'm guessing this mitre is a stylised version thereof.

    -j

    By Blogger John J. O'Sullivan™, at Saturday, July 22, 2006 1:24:00 AM  

  • I'm guessing this mitre is a stylised version thereof

    That's the best spin that can be placed on this innovation.

    There is much to suggest that the Holy Father came under a great deal of pressure during the first twenty-four hours of his pontificate, and ended up acceding to things which it seems unlikely that Cardinal Ratzinger would have approved of.

    By Blogger Paul Goings, at Saturday, July 22, 2006 4:00:00 AM  

  • Deary me, you poor Anglo-Catholics are so behind the news...

    The use of the mitre intstead of the triple tiara is an innovation of Papa Benny himself. JPII had it, as did his predecessors. When Benedict made public his chosen coat of arms, the missing tiara was the cause of much discussion.

    Nb. The tiara is still there on the papal flag, but not on B16's personal coat of arms.

    The meaning of the innovation? Probably he wants to emphasise his role as a bishop. He has certainly shown a very collegial style since election.

    Always keep in mind, his first ecumenical priority is full communion with the Orthodox.

    For more info, see: http://www.ewtn.com/library/CHISTORY/armsb16.HTM

    By Blogger Schütz, at Monday, July 24, 2006 11:14:00 PM  

  • JPI, Pope for a month in 1978, stopped using the tiara.

    By Blogger Ecgbert, at Thursday, August 03, 2006 10:11:00 AM  

  • Consistent with the renewed spirit of the Second Vatican, Pope Paul VI came down the steps of the papal throne and placed the tiara on the altar as a sign of humility when the Council ended in 1963.

    Pope John Paul I dispensed with the 1000-year-old tradition of a papal coronation and the wearing of a papal tiara. He decided not to take advantage of the mention of a coronation in Pope Paul VI's 1975 Apostolic Constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo.

    Pope John Paul II said that both he and his immediate predecessor had wished neither a coronation nor a tiara. He felt people incorrectly viewed both to be symbols of the temporal power of the Popes.

    When Pope John Paul II revised the rules on the election of Popes in his 1996 Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he removed all mention of a papal coronation, by replacing all referencs to a coronation with the word "inauguration".

    Pope John Paul II gave his official approval later in his reign to depictions of his coat of arms without the tiara, which is evident in the mosaic floor piece toward the entrance of St Peter's Basilica, where an ordinary mitre takes the place of the tiara.

    Pope Benedict XVI does use of the tiara representation as an official symbol of the papacy. His Holiness has decided not to include the tiara in his official personal coat of arms. He replaced it with a simple mitre, which does not include the orb with a cross.

    By Blogger Unknown, at Friday, November 19, 2010 2:56:00 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home