The zucchetto is a small hat worn primarily by Roman Catholic prelates.

The zucchetto (plural zucchetti, Italian for "small gourd") is a small skullcap worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church and within Anglicanism (the Episcopal Church in the U.S.). It was first adopted for practical reasons — to keep the clergy's tonsured heads warm in cold, damp churches — and has survived as a traditional item of dress. It consists of eight panels sewn together, with a stem at the top. Its name may derive from its resemblance to half of a pumpkin, or from the fact that it covers a larger "pumpkin" (the head). Associated Press pool photo of a zucchetto made for Pope John Paul II by A. Gammarelli of Ditta A. Gammarelli but never worn due to the popes death on April 2, 2005. ... The initialism CAP, when used by itself, can refer to: California Assessment Program, a California standards test replaced by the California Learning Assessment System, which was in turn replaced by the STAR system. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Catholicism. ... The term Anglican (from Anglia, the Latin name for England) describes the people, institutions, and churches that adhere the religious traditions developed by the established Church of England. ... The Episcopal Church may refer to several members of the Anglican Communion, including: Episcopal Church in the United States of America Scottish Episcopal Church Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East Episcopal Church of Cuba idk of the Sudan Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church ... Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem. ... Pumpkins Pumpkin attached to a stalk A pumpkin is a squash fruit, most commonly orange in colour when ripe, that grows as a fruit (gourd from a trailing vine of the genus Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae). ...

All ordained members of the Roman Catholic Church are entitled to wear the zucchetto. As with much ecclesiastical apparel, the colour of the zucchetto denotes the wearer's rank: the Pope's zucchetto is white, those worn by cardinals are red, bishops are violet and, priests and deacons wear a black zucchetto. A black zucchetto with red piping is the mark of a protonotary apostolic. The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. ... A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope and appointed by him as a member of the College of Cardinals during a consistory. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... Roman Catholic priests in traditional clerical clothing. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ...

All clerics who hold the episcopal character (that is to say, bishops — whether the Pope, cardinals, titular bishops or diocesan bishops) wear the zucchetto throughout most of the Mass, removing it at the commencement of the Canon and replacing it at the conclusion of the Communion. No others are permitted to wear the zucchetto at Mass. Mass is the term used of the celebration of the Eucharist in the various liturgical rites of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, and in some Lutheran regions which are largely High Church: the main Lutheran service is still known as the... Mass is the term used of the celebration of the Eucharist in the various liturgical rites of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, and in some Lutheran regions which are largely High Church: the main Lutheran service is still known as the... The Eucharist or Communion or The Lords Supper, is the rite that Christians perform in fulfillment of Jesus instruction, recorded in the New Testament[1], to do in memory of him what he did at his Last Supper. ...

Although not a proper tradition, the late Pope John Paul II would give a guest the zucchetto he was wearing if presented with a new one as a gift. Many other popes held the same practice. If visiting the pope, one may wish to speak with his secretary beforehand about the practice, and confirm that the new zucchetto is the correct size and is otherwise appropriate. Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), born Karol Józef Wojtyła [1], sometimes referred to as John Paul The Great, (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church for almost 27 years, from October 16, 1978 until his death, making his the second-longest...

The zucchetto is rarely worn by Anglican clergy, but follows the same practice as that of the Roman Catholic Church. A recent example is the zucchetto worn by Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. The Most Reverend Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born October 7, 1931) is a South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. ...

External links

• History and use of the Zucchetto in the Roman Catholic church
• History of the skullcap (PDF, p.20-25)