Zucchetto

The zucchetto ((t)suːˈkɛtoʊ,_zuːˈ-, also UKtsʊˈ-, USzʊˈ-, dzukˈketto; meaning "small gourd", from zucca, "pumpkin"; plural in English: zucchettos) or solideo, officially a pileolus, is a small, hemispherical, form-fitting ecclesiastical skullcap worn by clerics of various Catholic churches, the Syriac Orthodox Church, and by senior clergy in Anglicanism. It is also called a pilus, pilos, pileus, pileolo, subbiretum, submitrale, soli deo, berrettino, calotte or calotta. The zucchetto originated as the Greek pilos and is related to the beret (which itself was originally a large zucchetto). It was adopted circa the Early Middle Ages or earlier, to keep clerics' heads warm and to insulate the tonsure. Its name derives from its resemblance to half a pumpkin. It is almost identical to the Jewish kippah or yarmulke, and this resemblance is often considered to have been deliberate (as a reminder of Jesus’ and Christianity’s Jewish roots), though its religious significance is ultimately quite different. In Catholicism, the modern zucchetto is most commonly made of silk. The design utilises eight gores or triangular panels that are joined at the tips to form a hemispherical skullcap. Jutting from the central tip of the zucchetto is the "stem", known as stirpis or stirpes. It is made of a twisted loop of silk cord and is meant to make handling the zucchetto easier. The stirpes is the primary visual distinction between the zucchetto and the Jewish kippah. The zucchetto traditionally has a lining of thin white chamois as an insulator; this is also to help keep the shape of the zucchetto. Inside the trim, there is a strip of velvet to ensure a secure and comfortable fit. Most modern zucchetto designs include a cloth lining, and the contemporary trend is using ordinary synthetic cloth with a simple, natural cloth lining. The color of the zucchetto in Catholicism denotes the office held by the wearer: the pope's zucchetto is white; members of religious orders with white habits (e.g., Norbertines) also may wear a white zuchetto made of wool.