Holy Saturno! It's old hat for the pope again
Wed Sep 6, 6:08 AM ET
Pope Benedict on Wednesday showed once more that he has a thing for old hats.
The Pope surprised tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square for his weekly general audience by wearing an unusual, wide-brimmed red hat when he rode in on his popemobile.
It was the first time the 79-year-old German pontiff wore the hat, known in Italian as a "saturno" because it is vaguely reminiscent of the ringed planet Saturn.
Pope John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963, used a saturno and John Paul II, who died last year, donned one occasionally during trips to hot countries.
It was not the first time Pope Benedict has worn a strange-looking hat at an outdoor audience to shield himself against the weather.
Last December, to keep warm against the bitter cold, he wore a red velvet cap, trimmed with white fur.
That hat, known as a "camauro," was commonly worn by popes in the mediaeval period to keep their heads warm on cold days and it featured on many paintings at the time.
I have little doubt that he donned this hat in response to the demotion of Pluto as a planet. It had been so many long years since this kind of hat was worn. What other explanation is there?
Hopefully the Catholic scientists who were among the power-mongers demoting poor Pluto will understand that their eternal destiny is at stake! Do not take the word of the Pope lightly! If God had meant for Pluto to be demoted, he would have done it himself!! I am greatly delighted by this development.
