Pope Benedict XVI holds a woven palm frond as he walks in procession prior to the start of an open-air Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 16, 2008. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and is the start of the church's most solemn week, which includes the Good Friday re-enactment of Christ's crucifixion and death and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Maurizio Brambatti, pool)
Pope Paul VI during the closing ceremonies of the Second Vatican Council. Here, the pope wears the great cope embroidered in gold, which always bears the arms of the reigning pope. It is clasped by the morse, now abolished for non papal vestments. Paul VI also is seen wearing the full falda or special papal alb, which the present Pope, John Paul II, does not prefer. On either side of the pope are the cardinal-deacons vested in scarlet and the dalmatic of their class in the sacred college. The Papal Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor (later Cardinal) Dante, stands in the foreground. As an apostolic protonotary de numero, he was then entitled to the pectoral cross and ring (neither are now permitted to this class of prelate). Also noteworthy: Before the Pauline changes of 1969, those entitled to the lace rochet were also to cover it in the presence of the pope by a lace surplice. Monsignor Dante is seen here following this now-abolished edict.“
