Papal Habits and Vesture | Pontifical Court

A representative visual guide

Vesture in the service of office

Papal vesture gives visible expression to the spiritual, pastoral, ceremonial, and institutional dimensions of the Supreme Pontificate. The forms shown here are selected examples drawn from Cloth & Colour and Form and Witness; they illustrate the general order of papal dress without attempting an exhaustive catalogue of every authorized variation.

The ordinary papal habit. The white papal cassock is the ordinary and normative habit of the Supreme Pontiff, including for ordinary domestic use. It is always the form used for liturgical rites. For private, domestic, informal, or ordinary non-liturgical circumstances, the Supreme Pontiff may also wear black informal forms at his discretion.Canonical reference: ASP 6.3; Clarification of 23 September 2026.

Ordinary, domestic, and civic forms

The papal habit in daily life

White ordinary papal cassock with shoulder cape, sash, red papal hat, and red shoes — **White ordinary papal habit**The white papal cassock is the ordinary and normative habit of the Supreme Pontiff, including for ordinary domestic use. It is always the form used for liturgical rites.

Black informal papal cassock with red piping, shoulder cape, white sash, red papal hat, and red shoes — **Black informal papal cassock**An optional form for private, domestic, informal, or ordinary non-liturgical circumstances, worn at the discretion of the Supreme Pontiff.

White papal city dress with jacket, waistcoat, clerical collar, zucchetto, and red shoes — White *abito della città*A civic form of papal dress combining the distinctive pontifical colour with jacket, waistcoat, and clerical collar.

Black informal papal suit with red-trimmed waistcoat, white buttons, clerical collar, and white zucchetto — Informal *abito della città*An informal *abito della città* counterpart. The waistcoat is distinguished by red trim and white buttons.

Short white papal court habit with coat, waistcoat, breeches, stockings, red hat, and red shoes — Papal *abito corto*A traditional short counterpart to the cassock, this frock coat is usually worn over a waistcoat.

Additional informal options. A regular suit with a clerical shirt may also be worn as an informal or general option, according to circumstance and the discretion of the Supreme Pontiff.

Choir and ceremonial forms

Vesture for solemn presence and court

Papal choir dress with white cassock and rochet, red ceremonial vesture, white zucchetto, gloves, and red shoes — **Papal choir dress**Choir dress is used for certain solemn ecclesiastical and ceremonial occaions. The winter form of the mozzetta is in red fabric or cloth, with white fur trim. The camauro is of a matching style.

White and gold Paschal papal choir dress with white cassock, rochet, white vesture, gold ornament, and red shoes — **Paschal choir dress**For the Paschal season, the mozzetta is white damask with fur trim. The camauro is in the same style. The pastoral stole is gold.

Supreme Pontiff seated in summer mozzetta over white papal cassock and rochet — **Summer mozzetta**A seasonal form of choir dress worn from the Ascension through the Feast of St. Catherine. This style is also used during penitential rites.

Supreme Pontiff wearing the papal cappa magna with white ermine shoulder cape and red train — Papal *cappa magna*Rarely seen, it is used only during solemn matins and penitential offices in place of the *mantum*.

Supreme Pontiff in white papal cassock with red ceremonial mantle, insignia, and sash of the Most Holy Pontifical Orders of Christ and the Eagle — **Chivalric Regalia** The church robes as Sovereign of the Most Holy Pontifical Orders of Christ and the Eagle.

Pontifical and liturgical forms

Vesture for the fullness of sacred office

Supreme Pontiff seated in full red and gold pontifical dress with papal tiara — **Pontifical dress**The ceremonial fullness of the papal office, including the pontifical mantum and tiara.

Supreme Pontiff standing in gold pontifical liturgical vestments with mitre — **Solemn liturgical vesture**Pontifical vestments of the Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Rite used in the Divine Liturgy, a sign of the sacred ministry of the Supreme Pontiff as bishop and chief pastor.

The precise combination of garments, insignia, colours, and accessories is governed by occasion, season, rite, ceremony, and applicable pontifical custom. These plates communicate the principal visual forms rather than a complete ceremonial rubric.

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