Pileolus worn by the Franciscan

© Orbis Catholicus, 27th of December 2010

Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in Rome

Frati Francescani dell’Immacolata (F.I.)

Padre Stefano Manelli, the founder of F.I. with a pileolus (soli deo, zucchetto)

This model seems to me made of natural wool with brown fabric as brim?

Light grey pileolus (soli deo, zucchetto) worn by Franciscan, grey friars

They wore a gray tunic with a white cord at the waist; hence, their English name Grey Friars.

Biretta Worn by the Provost of the Augustinian Convent, Beyharting

This wonderful biretta (made of velvet) and a lot of applications (floral motives, trees, a rose made of golden threads and boullion on the top) was worn during the 18th century by the provost of the Augustinian Convent of Beyharting.

Now this precious biretta is kept in the Basilica Tuntenhausen, Germany.


Priest or canon with brocade biretta

Cardinal Birettas

The Original
Cardinal's biretta, Roman sytle, made of red silk with moiré effect (watered silk).

This model will be hand over to a new cardinal by the Pope during a consistory.

A cardinal's biretta always has a stem ( 2.5 cm high, made of twisted cord) on the top, never a pompon.

The lining is red silk as well.

The biretta is collapsible and to make it stiff, laminated cardboard (0.5 - 0.7 mm thick) is used.

Cardinal's biretta made of red cotton with moiré effect (watered silk)

Formerly it was used during winter season or rainy weather, because it is not

so sensitive against water spots.

Cardinal's biretta made of red cotton

Formerly it was used during winter season or rainy weather, because it is not

so sensitive against water spots.

Cardinal's biretta made of red taffeta fabric with some kind of patchy pattern 

It was made by an Orthodox tailor for a Catholic cardinal in Bulgaria.

Cardinal's biretta made of red taffeta fabric with paisly pattern 

It was made by an Orthodox tailor for a Catholic cardinal in Bulgaria.

Cardinal's mini biretta

sold as a souvenir item in the shops of some ecclesiatical tailors in Rome

Pontifical Shoes - Episcopal Sandals - Pontifical Sandals

The pontifical shoes are worn only very seldom nowadays. They are made of silk and available in red, green, red-purple and white. Not in black.

Get as well some more information on Wikipedia.

Detailed information about the red loafers worn by H.H. Pope Benedict XVI you will find here.

Shop window of Ditta Annibale Gammarelli, Rome, 15th of January 2007 showing green pontifical shoes.

The Spanish Bonete - Bonete Español de 4 Picos con Borla

Instead of the biretta, the Spanish clergy wear a bonete

Overview of the several models of the Spanish bonete

The back bonete is worn by the priests

In Spain you often can see Teresa of Ávila wearing a black bonete:

The reason therfore is, that she was named in 1970 a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.

© Dix ans de Sacerdoce de M. le chanoine Raoul Olazabal

Messe solennelle célébrée par M. le chanoine Raoul Olazabal le 9 novembre 2008
L’Institut du Christ Roi Souverain Prêtre

Black bonete with blue pompon and blue cord over the edges, worn in Spain by the priests of  IRSP - Institutum Christi Regis Summi Sacerdotis

Black bonete with red-purple pompon is worn by monsignori and bishops

© picture: Ceremonia y Rúbrica de la Iglesia Española

Canons of the chapter of Valencia

Black bonete with green pompon

Black bonete with green pompon is worn by the canons of the chapter of a cathedral in Santiago de Compostella.

Black bonete with red popon is worn by by dignitaries of a chapter of a cathedral

© picture: Ceremonia y Rúbrica de la Iglesia Española

Canónigos de Pamplona - Canons of Pamplona Cathedral

Black bonte with red pompon

© picture: Ceremonia y Rúbrica de la Iglesia Española
Bonete with blu-purple tuft
Calatayud canon

© picture: Ceremonia y Rúbrica de la Iglesia Española

Canan of Jerez

© Facebook "Fans del Bonete"

The Very Reverend Canon Jerome Lloyd OSJV S

Bonete with "double height", red pompon and red

application cord

Bonete double height in black with application cord and black pompon

Red-purple bonete is worn by bishops - I never saw one

wearing this color

Red bonete with red pompon

Made for a Cardinal?

© picture: Ceremonia y Rúbrica de la Iglesia Española

The  photo shows a procession of the College of Catalayud in the 19th century. The tiny figures at the very front of the procession are monks wearing red bonetes. The candle-bearers (probably deacons?) are wearing red dalmatics and red bonetes, while all the rest are wearing black bonetes, even the Prior at the rear of the procession. No tufts to be seen, unfortunately.

Bonete made for a Praemonstratensian (Norbertine) monk

Bonete made of St. Ninian's tartan

To get detailed information on the St. Ninian's tartan, exclusivly made for Pope Benedict XVI., please visit Tartan Pope Benedict VXI.

Bonete with golden pompon and golden piping

made for a Teresa of Ávila statue

Pattern of the Spanish bonete