The name is zucchetto, which is Italian for zuccini as in the fruit, because when you lay it on a table, it looks like a slice. In Hebrew it’s called a Kippa and in Yiddish a Yamulke.
The tradition goes way back, long before the time of Christ. In Jewish liturgy, men cover their heads when entering the temple. This is still the case today. The high priests wore special headdress when it was their year to serve.
Until the late 1800s deacons, priests, bishops, monks and friars covered our heads with a skull cap, each according to his place in the church. For example, if you were a secular priest, you wore a black one. If you were a bishop, the color is “purple”. If you’re a cardinal, then it’s reddish. Monks and friars wore the color according to the color of the order. For example the Dominicans wear a white habit, but a black mantle over the habit. They wore a black skullcap. I don’t know if the Carmelites and Augustinians ever wore one. Franciscans wore one the same color as the habit: brown, grey or black. The Cistercians wore a black one, etc.
Today, it is still permissible for diocesan clergy and religious of certain orders to wear one, but the custom is rarely used because we no longer wear a tonsure. The skullcap is difficult to keep on your head when you have a lot of hair. It tends to slide. If you notice the pope and bishops, they’re always fiddling with it. If you’re a friar or monk, you’re probably outside a lot more than the pope or a bishop. The last thing you want to do is to run after that thing when the wind blows. We used to sew a comb on the inside to keep it on. Jewish men often fasten it with hair pins. You can also buy special pins to hold it on. I have one, but have not worn it in years. I look cute in it too.
To answer your second question, no the pope and no one else who prays with his head covered is wrong. We, friars and monks, still pray with our cowls over our head. Bishops still pray with their zuchettos on. It is taken off during the Canon of the mass and it’s not put back on until after Communion. If you’re wearing a cowl you do the same thing.
It is never worn at the moment of the sacrifice and while Christ is physically present. The head is always uncovered during that time. The reason again goes back to Jewish history. The purpose of covering one’s head was two-fold, a) to remind us that God was above us (an external means of remembering to be humble) and b) to remind us that God is always close. He is above us, but not far away.
Once the preface begins you begin to get ready for have God substantially in front of you on the altar. The head covering is not needed. Your thoughts need to be focused on the immediate presence of God before you, not above you. That was the idea of that ancient teaching. You took it off when you prayed to God who was in your immediate presence, at all other times of prayer, you kept it on. Orthodox Jews take it off only for bed and bath. Popes and bishops can take it off at any time.
Those of us who may choose to wear it also take it off in the presence of the pope, unless he instructs us to keep it on. You will notice that at the Vatican, the clergy rarely wear it in an audience with His Holiness. It’s worn in an assembly, which is different from an audience. When greeting the pope, you always doff it as you shake his hand or kiss his ring, depending on your custom. That custom varies from Church to Church and from one religious order to another, but not the custom of doffing the skullcap. That’s pretty universal among Latin Catholics.
Fraternally,
Br. JR,
I wonder if it gets its name from the Zucchini flower rather than the fruit. (Just to add to the conversation but nothing to do with the debate in the UK we call them Courgettes and regard them as a vegetable. Separated by a common language sigh)
It is considered a vegetable here too, but technically it is both. It is the fruit of the zucchini plant because it disseminates the seeds. (like apples, plums, peaches, etc). So we will put it this way: all fruit are vegetables but not all vegetables are fruit.
Etymology: Italian zucchetto, ultimately variant diminutive of zucca (“gourd, squash”), as in zucchini.
When the Franciscans of the Renewal began, they kicked off the renewal of the Franciscan family, hence their name. As the renewal grows and the years pass, other areas of Franciscan life have been examined.
I always call it a fruit because it has seeds. I’ve always eaten it as a veggie.It is considered a vegetable here too, but technically it is both. It is the fruit of the zucchini plant because it disseminates the seeds. (like apples, plums, peaches, etc). So we will put it this way: all fruit are vegetables but not all vegetables are fruit.
Zucchetto was in use in Italy referring to the zucchini. Solideo was the term that the clergy used, but it never really stuck. The expression “Soli Deo Tullitur” is Latin, but it comes from the Jews. It was carried over into Latin Christianity by the Jewish Christians. The early Jews wore shawls and later they wore a kippa. The first Christians were Jews. They would go to the temple every Saturday and covered their heads. Only the high priest took off his head covering when offering the sacrifice. From there the expression “to be taken off only in front of God”. Jewish Christians brought this custom with them and it was generalized to the Gentiles. We see it present in the Easter Churches as well. They too adopted the practice of head dress from the apostles who founded those Churches. They developed some very elaborate and regal forms of head dress, while others kept what look like a black shawl over a hat. These are very Eastern customs.
I think that I disagree with the association of zucchetto and zucchini (zucchine) because of the shape of the zucchini that is different from the one of a zucca. I guess that we will not close on that.…Zucchetto was in use in Italy referring to the zucchini. Solideo was the term that the clergy used, but it never really stuck. The expression “Soli Deo Tullitur” is Latin, but it comes from the Jews. It was carried over into Latin Christianity by the Jewish Christians. The early Jews wore shawls and later they wore a kippa. The first Christians were Jews. They would go to the temple every Saturday and covered their heads. Only the high priest took off his head covering when offering the sacrifice. From there the expression “to be taken off only in front of God”. Jewish Christians brought this custom with them and it was generalized to the Gentiles. We see it present in the Easter Churches as well. They too adopted the practice of head dress from the apostles who founded those Churches. They developed some very elaborate and regal forms of head dress, while others kept what look like a black shawl over a hat. These are very Eastern customs.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, FFV
When I first heard the explanation, I though the flat rounded ones, not the tubular ones. Though I love both, especially in bread.There are 2 shapes of zucchini: the long tubular ones, and the flat, roundish ones.
I’m not sure if I understand your question. Can you restate a little differently? Thanks,Father Jay,
May I ask a question? I understand the part about the Franciscans re-emphasizing brotherhood in the communities. I am wondering if this new emphasis extends to the OFS?
Actually there are three superiors among those pictures. But the question was, which picture or pictures has NO ordained brothers.I only see you in one of the pictures so I can only point out one Brother Superior. ;
I’m loving this.The one you are in.Actually there are three superiors among those pictures. But the question was, which picture or pictures has NO ordained brothers.
No ordained brothers = no deacons, priests or bishops.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, FFV
I think Luigi is wondering if a secular priest joins the OFS, if he is called Brother or Father.I’m not sure if I understand your question. Can you restate a little differently? Thanks,
Br. JR, FFV
Because the OFS is a secular order, they keep their secular titles. Fr. Mr, Miss, Ms, Mrs, Dr, etc.
There are more than two shapes and the only ones that could count in favour of the theory are the tonda di Nizza or the tonda di Piacenza, the others are small zucche.There are 2 shapes of zucchini: the long tubular ones, and the flat, roundish ones.
Tad bit of a disappointment, TBH.Let me speak to the first point. That you called EWTN and they did not know what the OFS is does not come as a surprise. Before Mother Angelica retired she had Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap on her show. She did not know that the OFS is an order.Sorry I was unclear (as usual )
Let me try again
I contacted EWTN recently
They didn’t know what an OFS was
I am asking does the call to brotherhood extend to the OFS, or
is it just in the 1st (and by extension) 2nd orders?
Put another way, if there was a room full of all 3 orders,
would we all be addressed as brother?*
*women as sister, obviously