Headgear and Other Mysteries

John has straightened me out about Fr. Tomiak's hat, and indeed all clerical hats.

"This is a biretta. The clerical rank is shown by the color of the hat and the color of the pom ("pom-pom") on top: 

priest: black with black pom

monsignor: black with red pom

bishop: amaranth with purple pom

cardinal: scarlet with no pom

pope: no biretta used but the more ancient camauro instead

So, he has the head covering of a priest.

John"

Amazing.  Apparently, "amaranth" is really hot pink.  "Camauro" derives as does "camel."  So -

A historical Pope, Clement XIV, wearing a camauro.

Uh-huh.

There's an old church in Buffalo named "Church of St. John Kanty."  Its (fairly new) rose window is radiant; check out Jan Kanty's hat:

Apparently the 14th-century mode was black-no-pom. There he is, clothing the poor.

Why are the "rose" petals of the window arrangement shaped like mummies? Why did they name a fast, sporty car a "Camaro"?  Sounds silly now. The mysteries never end.

Dziękuję wujku!  Julianna