TIARA. - From the Greek τάρα, synonym of φάγιον (= turban), a head covering proper to the pope, of conical shape adorned with three crowns (= triregnum), surmounted (from the 16th century) by a small cross.
It is not used during the liturgical functions turgical functions and the pope receives it from the hands of the cardinal first deacon, as in ancient times, outside the Vatican Basilica, on the day of his solemn coronation after the solemn Mass has been celebrated, before the people. He then wore it in the solemn cavalcade with which he went to take possession of the Lateran Archbasilica, from the time when he established his ordinary residence in the Vatican Palace. Today the pope wears it on his return from the celebration or from assisting at the pontifical Mass.
It has an origin in common with the mitre, with a resemblance to the Phrygian headdress, used at the Persian court, later made the emblem of the Byzantine Emperor. It appears to have been used by the popes at least from the 8th-9th century as a sign of their earthly power, perhaps from the time of the Syrian pope Constantine (708-15; cf. Constitutum Constantinum, ed. K. Zeumer [1888], ch. 16). It had the form of a tall, pointed cone, made of white cloth; around the lower edge ran a golden band (cf. the coins of Sergius III [904-11] and of Benedict VII [974-83] representing St. Peter with a tall pointed conical headdress). This headdress must be distinguished from the camelaucum which later was transformed into the liturgical mitre. Not before the 10th century did the golden band of the Phrygian headdress become a crown, after 1256 with points, called regnum. At the beginning of the 14th century under Boniface VIII (1294-1303) the form changed somewhat and a second crown was added (cf. the attempt by Hildebrand the archdeacon in 1059 to add the second crown); the third crown was added under Benedict XI (1303-1304) or Clement V (1305-14); and hence the name triregnum. Innocent III indicates the mitre "pro sacerdotio"; the t. "pro regno". The double crown has the same meaning of pontifical and imperial authority, in analogy with the double crown of the emperor who wore over the clerical mitre the "diadema imperii". E. Eichmann explains the three crowns of the t. in analogy with the three crowns of the Emperor: the German one of Aachen, the Lombard one of Milan-Monza, the Roman one of Rome. The form of the papal coronation in the Roman Pontifical of 1596 instead declares the Pope 1) father of princes and kings, 2) rector of the world, 3) vicar of Christ. - See plate V.
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Pietro Siffrin
