MANTELLONE. – M. (Magnus mantellus, “large mantle”) is a long, ankle-length outer cassock garment, without sleeves, entirely open at the front, with four wide lateral openings, two for inserting the arms and two for inserting the hands into the undergarment or cassock. It has a low collar encircling the neck, fastened at the front with a small hook. From the arm openings hang, along the entire length of the m., two narrow false sleeves without openings, attached to the rear sections corresponding to the shoulders.
All the ecclesiastical members of the pontifical Household (v.), the Assistant of the Chamber of His Holiness, the bussolanti, the clerics of the pontifical Chapel, their supernumeraries, and the pontifical cursors use the m. Those who, while wearing the m., held the title of monsignor were referred to, by antonomasia, as prelates of the m. or monsignori of the m.; over their noble coats of arms they placed the prelatial hat with two tassels. This designation has now fallen into disuse. The now-extinct lay offices of advocate for the poor, general advocate of the Treasury, general procurator of the Treasury, commissioner of the Reverend Apostolic Chamber, and the togated lieutenants of the Roman Curia were granted the black m.; those holding the first four offices also received the title of monsignor, although they were for the most part married. Among the offices no longer conferred, that of extra omnes officer, custodian of the consistory, enjoyed the use of the m. On certain cavalcades for the taking of possession by the supreme pontiffs, the auditors of the Rota also wore the black m.
#### MANTICA : V. DIVINAZIONE.