Pope Benedict XVI wore a broad-brimmed red straw hat to shield himself from the summer heat as he rode his 'popemobile' around St. Peter's square to greet pilgrims on Wednesday.The 82-year-old German pontiff wore the traditional white skull cap or 'zucchetto' as he sat under an awning for the duration of the weekly general audience.
Getting up to greet pilgrims and to board his popemobile, aides gave him a quaint-looking, gold-trimmed crimson red hat to shield him from the midday sun.
The hat, known in Italian as the 'saturno' because of its resemblance to the planet Saturn, was made by papal tailor Gammarelli in Rome.
It was reminiscent of the 'saturno' model favoured by pope John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963.
The German pontiff has a fondness for traditional papal head wear, and particularly red hats.
He has resurrected the use of the 'camauro', a red velvet hat with white fur trimming which was last worn in public by John XXIII and can be seen in a portrait of Julius II by Raphael painted in 1512.
For the last general audience before Christmas 2005, Benedict delighted onlookers by sporting a camauro and a red cape which left him looking like a clean-shaven Santa Claus.
The papal camauro dates back to the 12th century and was used to protect the popes from the cold.
The 82-year-old pope has dusted off other traditional items, including red loafers.
Vatican experts say Benedict is keen to show continuity with the symbols and history of the Church, which links the colour red to the suffering of Christ on the cross.
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