Why does the Bishops and Pope wear a skullcap

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SAVINGRACE

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What is the historical, symbolic or spiritual meaning of it?

I know it’s similar to what Rabbi’s wear, but why have we adopted, adapted and maintained it?

Would the original 12 and Our Lord being Jewish have worn a yarmulke in their day? And if yes, is that why the Bishops wear it?

Thank you.
 
In most Western cultures, hair is a symbol of beauty, and thus covering it up, or veiling it, or tonsuring it, to be a sign of humility. There’s Biblical roots for this (I call to mind Samson); it’s also a very pertinent Gallic tradition, considering that historically, cutting off a Frank’s hair was culturally about one step before castrating them.
 
I thought it was to cover up the bald spot left by tonsure. Of course tonsure has become vanishingly rare in the Church today, but the zucchetto has endured, mainly for the bishops. Priests used to wear a black one but this has also become very rare.

I don’t think there is any connection to the yarmulke. Wikipedia says the zucchetto evolved from a Greek hat called the pilos (a roughly conical cap, to judge from the pictures) and has a common origin with the modern beret.
 
Yes, that was my understanding too, that while they have ultimately ended up looking very similiar, the Zuchetto and Kippah(or Yarmukle) have different origins. The Zuchetto was originally suppose to cover the bald spot left by the tonsuring. Now that tonsuring has become rare it’s become more symbolic than practical.
 
I assume, though, ultimately it is derived from the Jewish practice of wear a Kippah and covering one’s head before God. I say this because it is not simply a Western practice but Eastern Catholic as well (Maronite bishops wear, or should, the same “skullcap” as monks called a phiro and wear the monastic hood on top of it; the Syriac Orthodox do something similar, the Armenians wear a hood and the Ethiopians even wear an almost prayer shawl looking garment). I think all these ideas of covering oneself in humility and reverence before the Lord comes from the Jews.

Now as to why they do it? Again it pertains to humility I think; even the seraphim use a set of wings to cover themselves, not because God can’t see them if they cover themselves, but as a sign of reverence to the Lord.
 
MorEphrem said:
I assume, though, ultimately it is derived from the Jewish practice of wear a Kippah and covering one’s head before God. I say this because it is not simply a Western practice but Eastern Catholic as well (Maronite bishops wear, or should, the same “skullcap” as monks called a phiro and wear the monastic hood on top of it; the Syriac Orthodox do something similar, the Armenians wear a hood and the Ethiopians even wear an almost prayer shawl looking garment). I think all these ideas of covering oneself in humility and reverence before the Lord comes from the Jews.

Now as to why they do it? Again it pertains to humility I think; even the seraphim use a set of wings to cover themselves, not because God can’t see them if they cover themselves, but as a sign of reverence to the Lord.
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I think you might be right, that the idea and intent behind the wearing might derive from the common spirirtual tradition, the garments themselves developed from different sources.
 
It’s really a carry over from Eastern Judeo Christianity.

It did serve a practical function as well. Many religious communities had tonsures and the buildings were drafty. The skull cap and the cowl were helpful.
 
JReducation said:
It’s really a carry over from Eastern Judeo Christianity.

It did serve a practical function as well. Many religious communities had tonsures and the buildings were drafty. The skull cap and the cowl were helpful.
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I imagine it would be at least as useful in avoiding getting sunburn on the top of one’s head, too. Considering the age of most men who wear them today, this may still be a practical purpose. 😉
 
JuantheTuba said:
I think you might be right, that the idea and intent behind the wearing might derive from the common spirirtual tradition, the garments themselves developed from different sources.
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Now the question remains was the Christian spiritual tradition simply attached after the fact of the practical purpose?
 
MorEphrem said:
Now the question remains was the Christian spiritual tradition simply attached after the fact of the practical purpose?
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The tradition is Jewish. We (Catholics) wear them as a sign of humility and a reminder that God is above. For this reason, we take them off during the Eucharistic Prayer at the mass.

Contrary to popular belief, they are not worn just by bishops. Any priest can wear it and certain religious orders, whether you’re ordained or not. I wear on and I’m not a priest. The Franciscans wore them in many countries, usually for practical reasons, not religious reasons.
 
JReducation said:
The tradition is Jewish. We (Catholics) wear them as a sign of humility and a reminder that God is above. For this reason, we take them off during the Eucharistic Prayer at the mass.

Contrary to popular belief, they are not worn just by bishops. Any priest can wear it and certain religious orders, whether you’re ordained or not. I wear on and I’m not a priest. The Franciscans wore them in many countries, usually for practical reasons, not religious reasons.
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Thank you. 👍
 
JReducation said:
The tradition is Jewish. We (Catholics) wear them as a sign of humility and a reminder that God is above. For this reason, we take them off during the Eucharistic Prayer at the mass.

Contrary to popular belief, they are not worn just by bishops. Any priest can wear it and certain religious orders, whether you’re ordained or not. I wear on and I’m not a priest. The Franciscans wore them in many countries, usually for practical reasons, not religious reasons.
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Yes, as I stated in a previous post it was derived from the Kippah, used out of reverence for God and I made the comparison to the seraphim. But that’s not true for the entirety of catholicism: (1) Syriac priests needn’t take them off during the Eucharistic Prayer because it is a Western tradition to uncover one’s head out of respect and quite frankly I find it a bit contradictory that Latin bishops uncover their heads at the arrival of the presence of God, (2) in other sui iuris Churches the skullcap is reserved for only monastics.

My question pertained simply to why Jewish theology would be applied to an article from apparently different practical needs and if the symbolism was added to the practical object as a second thought.
 
On the contrary, its from a catholic tradition and not jewish, its was the jews who implemented it, and they were forced them to do so, during the reign of the Holy Roman Empire, and later on adopted it, i read this on a Jewish forum, hope they are correct
SAVINGRACE said:
What is the historical, symbolic or spiritual meaning of it?

I know it’s similar to what Rabbi’s wear, but why have we adopted, adapted and maintained it?

Would the original 12 and Our Lord being Jewish have worn a yarmulke in their day? And if yes, is that why the Bishops wear it?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
The two origins have been state (carry-over from Judaism, and to cover the tonsure). Now I’ll add my two cents:

From my understanding, the stem (or “loop”) was added at some point because, when monks were dining in the refectory and the Holy Name was mentioned, they were supposed to doff their skullcaps.
As you can imagine, if you’re hands are dirty and you have a bit of Br. Cook’s sauce on your fingers, it would end up on the skullcap when you went to take it off. If what I’ve been told is correct, the loop was added because it could be easily replaced.

I personally think we should see more of our priests in zucchetti (with the cassock, not a clerical suit…*the latter would be silly) 😃
 
Godric2 said:
I thought priests could wear a skull cap too, not just Bishops and the Holy Father, or am I wrong?
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Yes, but as [post=11333854]Chatter163[/post] said earlier. it’s rare. It became increasingly uncommon after Pius IX and is now all but non-existent except among some canon lawyers. It should be noted that a secular priest’s zuchetto was part of street dress and not worn liturgically. That is still the case, even for those canon lawyers who continue to use it.
 
malphono said:
Yes, but as [post=11333854]Chatter163[/post] said earlier. it’s rare. It became increasingly uncommon after Pius IX and is now all but non-existent except among some canon lawyers. It should be noted that a secular priest’s zuchetto was part of street dress and not worn liturgically. That is still the case, even for those canon lawyers who continue to use it.
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I sometimes bump into priests who wear it when leading pilgrimage in Rome. The majority of those who use the black zucchetto seem to be Polish priests.
 
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