CONTINUING A VATICAN TRADITION
A Macedonian Mitre from Rajchica Becomes the Tiara of Pope Francis
A magnificent Macedonian mitre, crafted with Ohrid pearls by the nuns of the monastery in Rajchica, Debar, and recently gifted to Pope Francis, has officially been recorded as his tiara in accordance with Vatican tradition, which stipulates that every pope possesses a personal mitre. This is the 25th papal tiara gifted to a Catholic leader by various donors.
The tradition of presenting mitres to popes dates back to the mid-16th century when an unknown donor gifted one to Pope Gregory XIII, who led the Church from 1572 to 1585. Since then, other popes have received similar gifts, with some receiving multiple mitres during their tenure.
These gifts hold profound significance for Catholic leaders, as they were traditionally worn during their installation as spiritual leaders of the world’s largest Christian community. Until about 50 years ago, wearing a mitre was obligatory. However, this changed in 1963 when Pope Paul VI became the last pontiff to wear one during his “coronation.” Later, Pope Paul VI decided to auction his tiara to raise funds for aiding the world’s poor. That tiara is now housed in the Museum of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
Since then, the Vatican tradition of mandatory mitre-wearing has ceased, and popes are no longer required to wear them. Nevertheless, Catholic leaders continue to receive them as gifts.
For example, in 1981, Pope John Paul II received the “Hungarian Tiara,” crafted by Hungarian Catholics during a time when the country was still under communist rule. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, received a similarly valuable gift from German Catholics, a mitre crafted by Bulgarian Orthodox Christians. This initiative was led by German businessman Dieter Philippi in 2011, with the presentation taking place in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
When Pope Francis ascended to the papal throne three years ago, he had not received a mitre. The Macedonian gift is now recorded in the Vatican archives as “Pope Francis’s Mitre.” The gift, presented by the Speaker of the Macedonian Parliament, Trajko Veljanoski, during the celebration of Saints Cyril and Methodius, has already been referred to in Italian media as “Pope Francis’s Tiara.”
The mitre symbolizes the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ on his way to the crucifixion and serves as a reminder of the responsibility borne by the leader before God as the shepherd of his people. The Macedonian delegation’s wish was for this mitre to reflect the distinctive culture and artistic tradition of Macedonia.
“The renowned Ohrid pearl, traditionally produced by the Tilev family, was used in its creation,” said the sisters from the monastery in Rajchica.
These nuns have crafted approximately 700 mitres for Christian leaders, including the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Kirill of Russia, and Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem.
A rule in crafting this papal symbol, which appears on the Vatican coat of arms, is that it must have three tiers. However, the specific symbolism of the tiers remains uncertain. During papal coronations, the following words are spoken:
“Receive the crown adorned with three crowns, signifying that you are the father of princes and kings, ruler of the world, and vicar of our Savior Jesus Christ on Earth, to whom belongs honor and glory for all ages.”
Napoleon’s 8-Kilogram Tiara Gift
Historically, the donors of mitres gifted to Catholic leaders have been prominent figures and various institutions. Records show that in 1804, the French Emperor Napoleon presented a tiara to Pope Pius XII on the occasion of his marriage to Josephine. Interestingly, this tiara was both too small and extremely heavy, weighing eight kilograms, making it impractical for any pope to wear.
In 1855, Queen Isabella II gifted a Spanish tiara to Pope Pius IX, who later received a Belgian tiara two decades later. Pope Leo XIII received an Austrian tiara in 1894 from Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I.
The Vatican treasury also holds a German tiara gifted by Emperor Wilhelm I, a Parisian tiara from the Catholics of Paris, and other similar gifts from cities such as Milan, Bergamo, and Palatine, as well as one from the Vicar of Rome on behalf of Catholics worldwide.
Author: Branko Gjorgjevski
