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I was wrong, the fanon is not back with Roman vestments. What a shame. Also, I notice the Pope is missing a pontifical dalmatic. Perhaps the heat is getting to him...

AspirantMonk, in a previous post, Benodette noted that the temperatures in St. Paul's Basilica during the First Vespers reached 90+ Fahrenheit; that is 32+ Celsius. Because I have lived in the tropics all my life, I can tell you right now that is hot - uncomfortably hot. I am half Il Papa's age and that kind of heat really bothers me - just imagine how an 81-year old man must feel, especially given the humidity in a basilica lit by huge lights and filled with thousands of people. I regret to say this, but I am most definitely not sorry that some additional vestments have not made an appearance.

The poor Holy Father is melting under the weight of all the finery in the 90 degree plus heat. If he had been dressed in a solid linen alb, instead of a lace one, he would not have had to wear the cassock under it and the heavy cope. Wouldn't that have been sensible dressing?

I wholeheartedly agree, Benodette. He did not seem all too comfortable either during the Mass itself:

Source: AFP / Getty

This is one of the things that continue to bewilder me: why does it seem that good sense has flown out of the window when it comes to the Pope's vestments? I am aware that my concerns about the risks that these vestments have posed to the Pope's health have been met with rather mocking responses by certain quarters on this Forum, but I continue to express my anxiety. While it seems that the Holy Father is holding up under all these layers of vestments, must we wait until he can no longer "hold up"? (Why must he even be made to endure such discomfort in the first place?) The consequences of such a possibility may be more harmful than any of us can imagine, and I wish that this would be taken into account before any more mocking remarks are made about these concerns.

Benodette: The pallium is pretty innocuous and certainly lacks the "presence" of his original pallium.

Adamz09: I quite agree. It would have been much better to use the "standard issue" pallium but with red crosses.

I must add my own agreement. This new pallium most certainly does not have the evocative character of Il Papa's original pallium, and were it not for the strips that hang down the front and back, it looks more like an "ermine" border for the chasuble than anything else. Since it has been deemed necessary to change the pallium - for reasons which I will never understand - I would have been far, far happier, as with Adam, if a pallium similar to the one John Paul II used had been employed as the substitute. It is certainly better than this "innovation" that apparently has no true basis in the historical development of the pallium as a liturgical vestment.

I also noted that during the First Vespers, the cope-bearers were mercifully absent - suffice it to say that I heaved a sigh of relief that they were not there, and I cannot help but wish that we will not see them again in the near future. I agree, Adam, they are fussy and I do think that they hamper the Pope's movements. He can move quite well without them, and looks far, far more dignified processing solemnly up or down the aisle by himself. Whatever else others may say about the cope-bearers being symbolic of the Pope's "collaborators", the fact remains that in a very real - and very profound sense - the responsibilities of the Petrine Office are his and his alone to shoulder, just as Christ (with the brief exception of the momentary assistance contributed by Simon of Cyrene) endured His Passion alone. The Pope's collaborators can support him in some of his duties, and we can certainly support him with our prayers, but in certain respects, it is only he who can truly carry out the responsibilities of the Petrine Office, and at the end of his service, it is he and he alone who shall stand accountable before the Lord for the manner in which he fulfilled his office.

There are two snakes. They signify double wisdom of episcopal administration. "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (St. Matthew 10, 16)

Mateuszmwroc, thank you for the information, and welcome to the RFC. I tried to look at the Patriarch's staff as closely as I could, and I did notice that the figures did look like two entwined snakes. Can you share with us the history of the Patriarch's staff?

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On a separate note, I am personally very glad that this discussion on Papal liturgical vestments has encouraged new members to contribute their opinions to the Forum.

I must note, however, the lamentable comments made by a new member in the previous page, comments that I daresay have no place on a Forum named after the erudite, gracious and eminently courteous Vicar of Christ. May I therefore take this opportunity to remind any would-be members that while the Forum will always welcome new constituents, we are hopeful that their contributions will serve to enhance the knowledge and insights that we - and those who read the RFC - have on liturgical history and development, as well as on all the issues that are discussed on the Forum. We are all here to learn - not to sling diatribes at people whose opinions we don't agree with.

On a Forum named after the Vicar of Christ, there will never be any room - or any tolerance - for insults, viciousness, irrationality, verbal abuse or invectives. Anyone who wishes to indulge in such lamentable behaviour can take themselves elsewhere.