Does your religion have a sacred hat? If so, what is it?
Is it worn by men and women alike? If not, why not?
Is it encourage or discouraged to wear a hat during worship? Why?
Is wearing a hat dependent on hierarchy in your religion? Are there different hats for different levels of the hierarchy? If so, why?
Great set of questions as ever, Salix.
My religion doesn't mandate any kind of religious clothing for the lay faithful as a whole, akin to say the turban amongst Sikhs, or the hijab worn by Muslims in conformance with sharia law.
Nevertheless, Catholic clergy of every class - from deacon and priest, up to bishops and archbishops (as well as the honorary class of cardinals), even the Pope himself - are entitled to wear a
zucchetto as a mark of their ordained status: a small, spherical, form-fitting ecclesiastical skull-cap, that resembles half a pumpkin and also a Jewish kippah, typically made from silk.
A zucchetto is never donned by a priest inside a Church, while Bishops, Cardinals, and the Pope have it on their heads throughout a Mass but remove it during the consecration of the host (i.e. the blessing of the Eucharist).
Moreover, the colour of the
zucchetto signifies the clerical ranking of the wearer, with priests and deacons wearing a black skullcap; bishops, archbishops and abbots a reddish coloured one; scarlet for cardinals and white for a pope or pope emeritus:
In addition to the
zucchetto, there are other types of clerical headgear worn by the higher-ranking clergymen.
For example, bishops (including the Pope as Bishop of Rome) wear a
mitre - a tall folding cap, typically ornately patterned, with two flowing lappets at the back: