Ceremonial of Benedict XVI

On 6 September 2006, the Pope began wearing the red cappello romano (also called a saturno), a wide-brimmed hat for outdoor use.

[2] Benedict XVI also returned to wearing traditional forms of other liturgical vestments to emphasize the continuity of the papacy and the church.

"[5] Franco Zeffirelli, the famed Italian film director of numerous lavish productions, criticized the Pontiff's vestments as being too "showy."

The Vatican explained Benedict's use of traditional vestments such as older, much taller miters during his "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas greeting by pointing to the need "to underline the continuity of today's liturgical celebration with that which characterized the life of the church in the past."

The group cited the Pontiff's famous love of cats and started an online petition to try to persuade Benedict to switch to synthetics.

Pope Benedict wears the winter mozzetta during his trip to Poland
Pope Benedict wears camauro
Pope Benedict in his distinctive ancient papal pallium