FALDA. — A white silk garment tending toward cream, with a long train that the pope girds around his hips and drags along the ground. Little or nothing is known of its origins or of the period when it was adopted as a pontifical ornament, now reserved exclusively to the pope. The diaries of Alessandro VI (toward the end of the fifteenth century) speak of it as a garment already in existence, and merely regulate its use.
In ancient times there was also a woolen f., which the pontiff wore on weekdays and on the Sundays of Advent and Lent; at present, however, the f. is made only of silk. It is of two kinds: one shorter, used in secret consistories, at which the Holy Father appears in mozzetta and stole; the other, much larger, worn by the pope whenever he is vested pontifically. It is put on after the rochet, in the room called “of the f.” near the Hall of Vestments in the Apostolic Palace. Since both are much longer than the height of the person and end in a long train or trailing skirt, it is necessary to lift them so that the pope may walk. Two supernumerary protonotaries, or two auditors of the Rota, according to the ceremonial, are charged with lifting the front edges of the f., while two secret chamberlains support the lateral ends and the prince assistant to the Throne the rear end, together with the pontifical mantle. The f. is worn by the pope whenever he attends or solemnly celebrates Mass or Vespers, whether in the chapel of the Apostolic Palace or, formerly, in the various churches of Rome; that is, at all sacred functions in which he wears pontifical vestments, such as the procession of Corpus Christi, the washing of the feet, the opening and closing of the Holy Door, consistories, etc.