FORMAL. - Also called rational or pectoral, it is a plate of metal, of gold or silver, gemmed, the size of a hand, which is worn on the chest where the cope of bishops in their own diocese is fastened and clasped.
Many authors wish to derive it from the rational of the Jewish high priest, who wore on his chest an ornament called precisely rational with twelve different precious stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Others instead derive it from the Low Latin word firmaculum, a kind of clasp, a buckle that served to fasten garments. Nothing is prescribed regarding its form, so that goldsmiths can exercise their talent in chiseling figures or symbols upon it, interweaving enamels and precious stones. In today's f. the use has prevailed of representing upon it the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove with spread wings: a symbol of His assistance to the bishop in the government of the diocese. The f., because it is an exclusive ornament, as has been said, of bishops in their own diocese, is forbidden by the ceremonial of bishops to the assistant priest, and to non-diocesan bishops. Only cardinal bishops of the suburbicarian sees have the privilege of wearing the f. everywhere, even in Rome, whether they assist at the pontifical celebrated by the supreme pontiff, or themselves solemnly celebrate the liturgical functions. Their f., according to a very ancient custom, consists of a plate of gilded silver on which three knots and pine-cones of pearls are set in a perpendicular line. The supreme pontiff also uses the f. The oldest record of the one used by the Roman pontiffs as a liturgical ornament is under Martin V, who had one made for himself of gold with figures in relief and jewels of great value by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Famous among other papal f. is the one that Benvenuto Cellini made by order of Clement VII. It represented, as Cancellieri narrates, the Eternal Father seated, above a background diamond of 136 grains supported by various little angels and cherubim between two oriental sapphires of rare purity and two oriental balas rubies with various jewels. Of it only a copy exists in the pontifical sacristy; the original was taken by Napoleon.
At present the pope has three different f.: one of pearls which he uses when he wears the silver-bladed mitre, that is, at funerals and on the Sundays of Advent and Lent. (Note that the pine-cones of pearls are arranged in a triangle). The second, ordinary, which he uses in all functions, except Vespers and pontifical Masses, when namely the pope uses the gold-bladed mitre; and finally the precious one which he uses in all the most solemn functions and in all Vespers and pontifical Masses, when namely he puts on the precious mitre. These two have the same form: the oval-shaped plate represents the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove with rays, decorated with pearls and with a garland of vine leaves with bunches of grapes, among which twelve precious stones are arranged in a circle: they differ from one another only in the richness and variety of the stones.
Finally, note the f. that is placed on the cope of the statue of St. Peter in the Vatican Basilica on the day of his feast: it is a plate of gilded silver having at its center a dove with spread wings with rays, representing the Holy Spirit.
Enrico Dante