The Real Origin of the Pope's Pointy Hat

[@ReligionForBreakfast]

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch War Room here!: nebula.tv/warroom?ref=religionforbreakfast

[@42kmi]

Would love to see an episode or series exploring the cosmologies interpreted in the Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance story.

[@johaquila]

I am not sure that it's all that clear that the "horned" Moses is a mistranslation. Horns played an important role in early Judaism. Important enough for Jewish scholar Aquila of Sinope to translate the difficult Hebrew word as "horned" in his Greek translation. Nowadays Jews still use shofars. When they still had altars, the altars had 'horns', as did the Philistines and other peoples of the region. In particular, the main altar in the Temple in Jerusalem had horns according to the Bible. One can speculate that the religious significance of horns was related to the horns of the (horned) animals that were sacrificed, and that both were related to the zodiac sign in which the Sun stood at the time of the spring equinox (celebrated as Passover). At the times relevant to the Jewish traditions, this zodiac sign was first Taurus (bull), then Aries (ram) -- then as now conventionally represented by two animals with horns. One reason for the widespread apocalyptic sentiment and religious upheaval in the 1st century AD was that the zodiac sign of the spring equinox was changing from from Aries to Pisces (fish). Which is intriguing, given that fish and anchor were the early symbols of Christianity and Jesus was portrayed as a fisherman. (To speculate even further: Perhaps the horns represented the raw, power of God / certain gods, which sometimes resisted people's attempts at domestication by means of religion and proved uncontrollable.)

[@ekmalsukarno2302]

Hi there, Religion For Breakfast, can you please make a video on Balinese Hinduism and how it differs from Hinduism as practised in India. Thank you very much.

[@aleccrull4114]

You should have mentioned that the miter also looks like a tongue of fire representing Pentecost, and also how in the Old Testament and new fire represents the presence of the God

[@tuxuhds6955]

First off, the "Oannes” relief at Khorsabad(and other sources) clearly shows Dagon/Dagan as a man with a lower part of a fish - So yes, Dagon was considered to be a fish deity. Dag means fish in Hebrew and Dagan means cereals, Dagon represented both. Fun fact - the huge Cereal terminal in Haifa, Israel is called Dagon and is clad with simplified rhombuses for scales. Secondly - Keren in Hebrew means both a ray and a horn, the translators didn't translate well and have picked the wrong term of the two. Ever since people were wearing silly hats. I suggest that when talking about Hebrew and ancient biblical texts you might benefit from talking with a native Hebrew speaker which is well educated on the subject.

[@DohnJoe69]

We all know its for the insane +5 prayer bonus

[@annalunara3038]

He just needs a basilisk jaw and he's all set

[@18hornet]

Bro your profile pic bringin back some memories

[@DrVictorVasconcelos]

I guess that's one way to interpret the Priest class.

[@BroznikTSOC]

You must be protestant... The older versions would give this buff but the rework added a cool down reduction with a Holy damage buff

[@nickc3496]

Will this hat buff Blessed Hammer from Diablo 2? My paladin could use it.

[@htwtrbg1]

It has a 300% mana boost. That's why.

[@DrVictorVasconcelos]

lol that's completely broken. Did someone enchant it after taking a Potion of Fortify Regeneration? Understanders will understand.

[@samblackstone3400]

Pretty crazy it used to be 3000% but God nerfed it hard in the Protestant update

[@anycyclopedia]

You mean "Manna", right? LOL

[@briannelson3830]

+25 spirit +50 charisma

[@Stevie-J]

Mitres are OP

[@Ennio444]

Fantastic video. Not only solved my doubts on the history and meaning of the mitre, it also answers the burning question "why does Moses have horns in these statues?".

[@MuffinatorXII]

It should be noted that in Hebrew term for "shone/was radiant" and the term for "horn", share the same root קר"ן, and so are spelled the same way קרן. According to the Hebrew academy, the term for "horn" came first, and it was linked to rays of light (AKA being radiant, shining) in the book of Habakuk chapter 3 verse 4. As well as the part in Exodus mentioned in the video.

[@partydean17]

You can kinda imagine the "horns" from the sun

[@EdwardM-t8p]

That ancient Hebrew phoneme is essentially identical to the ancient Greek κέρας. Which one came first, and which language got its term from the other?

[@penand_paper6661]

I believe one underlying meaning is in the sense of rays. In other words, horns of light.

[@jas9friend]

@@EdwardM-t8p Funnily, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew all developed from proto-indo-european, so perhaps they all got the word from that.

[@עופרקופלביץ-ג3ו]

​@@jas9friendHebrew is a semitic language which is part of the afro asiatic language family, and not indo european. It did not developed from proto indo european.

[@Griffiana]

Finally we're asking the real questions behind the differences in world religions. Namely; hats.

[@4124V4TA-SNPCA-x]

IMO fashion is vital in self identification as part of a nation, tribe, etc.. Religious clothing, accessories and told water even much more so. Try asking a man following Orthodox Judaism why does he wears that funny little hat an shawland stuff and moves like a hospitalizing autistic while speaking to himself...

[@MissRora]

I heard someone joke that the Eastern Orthodox mitre is where you display your NFTs, and it's my first thought on the topic now. Though thanks to this video, "pope hat gators" are going to be up there now.

[@gamermapper]

​@@4124V4TA-SNPCA-x I'm sure modern Western clothes would also look ridiculous to people from the say or even tribal people who mostly have non western clothes... It's just that it's so ingrained we don't even realise how ridiculous it can be.

[@MadsterV]

@@gamermapper most modern clothes aren't ritualistic, we've evolved towards practicality (thankfully), shedding a lot of ornaments (yes, some remain). This silly hat history makes me retroactively disappointed in humanity.

[@jamesmcinnis208]

It's as good a topic as any.

[@krotenschemel8558]

The Daegon-Fish-Fabrication thing was the best "sequel-you'll-never-get"-bait I've seen.

[@ReligionForBreakfast]

McClellan’a video gets into it, but yeah I’d like to make a sequel on Dagon.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Dagon-as-fish-god, or how puns make things confusing

[@shanenicole9552]

@@ReligionForBreakfastDan McClellan from Data Over Dogma mentioned let’s goooooooooo

[@4124V4TA-SNPCA-x]

Dagon wasn't even related or associated with fish to begin with. Nor the dogong people so sorry ancient aliens theorists...

[@Misandry101]

That was honestly the first thing I was going to say too and I'm impressed that you addressed it immediately. So good job!

[@CaldoV1]

You're finally tackling the real issues

[@QuantumHistorian]

There's something delightful about serious answers to questions that nobody has and of little consequence.

[@QuantumHistorian]

@@FleurPillager in general; no. In the case of a hat which is so famous that in the eyes of most it's now itself a symbol (like in that crocodile cartoon) more than referring to older symbols; mostly.

[@Handle1969]

@@QuantumHistorianAre you kidding? Listen, people were killed over the question “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?”

[@QuantumHistorian]

@@Handle1969 if you want me to listen you'll have to write louder. I can't hear you at the moment. Oh, and if you're going to correct other people, check your facts first. At least look up on Wikipedia what you're claiming, otherwise you might embarrass yourself...

[@dubnr3d]

One of my favorite discussions I have with my anatomy students is the origin of the "mitral valve" in the heart. Having 2 leaflets, the mitral valve is named for the hats it resembles!

[@MossyMozart]

@dubnr3d - Hey! I have one of those. And I never thought about the connection before, but it makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

[@dubnr3d]

@@MossyMozart you're welcome! But I would like to note, everyone has one!

[@Rahul_G.G.]

I have gotten PTSD from studying anatomy, the cords of the brachial plexus still haunt my dreams,

[@CliffCardi]

When my father (who's a radiologist) looked Da Vinci's sketch at the mitral valve, he was in awe at how finely detailed the sketch looked; as if it were a picture from a modern imaging device.

[@julian4992]

Interpretations of the meaning of miter is still contemporary, especially in anti-catholic circles. I remember grade school kids bullying catholic kids in the suburban American South and one of the point that was mentioned multiple times was "the pope's weird hat". Which is kind of wild for children to think and say.

[@4124V4TA-SNPCA-x]

Wow did they also make fun of stupid native headdresses? 😮

[@RockerfellerRothchild1776]

And here we are .... Catholics are rabidly anti Republic Anti constitution.....anti Masonic (the usa is absolutely a Masonic Republic!) Catholics fund and push every woke ideology imaginable! Including abortion! Catholics 99.9% vote liberal democrat! Now.... Were Americans wrong for their anti catholic sentiments? I think not!

[@DrVictorVasconcelos]

The sheer amount of conspiracy theories against Catholics in Anglophone cultures is quite bizarre. Like... y'all *really* don't disagree in that much. So much fanfarre, so little disagreement... it feels like watching Republicans and Democrats debate foreign policy.

[@savioblanc]

The irony is that pretty much every conspiracy theory against Catholics created by Protestants turned into conspiracy theories against all Christians by the New Atheists and that has been hilarious to watch 😂

[@m_d1905]

​@@savioblanc Sad, really. Be more creative please. 😂

[@savioblanc]

@@m_d1905 I wish they were more creative tbh

[@drjanitor3747]

Yes Protestants whole movement is grounded in lies.

[@spandabyz]

⁠@@savioblancRadical Atheists are just Godless Protestants

[@whycantiremainanonymous8091]

On horned/radiant: the two words already share a root (QRN) in Biblical Hebrew, centuries before Jerome. The plausible etymological connection here goes through visualizing rays of light as horns.

[@michaelwright2986]

That's the explanation I knew. I've had a quick check in the dictionaries of Classical and Medieval Latin that are near to hand, and I can't find any particularly glorificatory sense of cornutus. I guess that explanation was a way of avoiding the conclusion that Jerome just made a mistake.

[@stigmaoftherose]

Pretty sure it was made to cover up the rabbit ears of the real pope. Peter Rabbit.

[@mab932]

He won't share the truth because he knows he'll end up as rabbit stew.

[@ManahManah77]

Hippitus Hoppitus Deus Domineeee

[@shankz8854]

I knew someone would beat me to this comment!

[@xerk2945]

I feel this comment is highly, highly underrated.

[@jesusariza6279]

The easter bunny is the real St Peter

[@Swampdragon102]

In Elden Ring lore, people born with horns used to be seen as holy and revered. But in the current days, they are shunned as demons and hidden away. Interesting that there's historical precedent for that.

[@Winchester3127]

It also makes the turtle pope even funnier

[@theghosthero6173]

I wonder what was their inspiration. Indo-european horn cult remplaced by the golden order (aka christianity)? Japanese influences?

[@QuantumHistorian]

Almost like GRR Martin is know to take examples from history when writing his stories...

[@mjinba07]

Makes sense that horns would have represented wisdom, power and authority in ancient cultures, the symbol deriving from healthy, majestically horned animals like ibex, oryx, elk, deer, etc.. Of course, bull worship was prevalent in Mesopotamia at the start of Judaism. The use and implication of that authority in early Christian culture would have made sense. Then Christianity eventually started associating horns and other animalistic traits with demonic figures, as a way to wrench power away from pagan belief systems. So I wonder if this also had something to do with rotating the Mitre hat. You surely don't want it looking demonic, lol.

[@4124V4TA-SNPCA-x]

​@@mjinba07it also depends on horns. Ram is good goat is bad for example in medieval times.

[@grimmpierful]

It's because Saint Peter was a rabbit

[@AdithiaKusno]

As a subdeacon in Byzantine Catholic Church I'm grateful for well balance approach taken in this video. It gives hope that it's possible to be fact based without bias influence. Thank you. Can you do a film review video on Netflix's Maharaj? To address Hindu's piety charan seva.

[@IanZainea1990]

7:49 I know this is supposed to be anti-catholic, but honestly its just like a hilarious fever dream lol

[@sbnwnc]

😂😂😂😂

[@thescoobymike]

When you take too many tabs before the bishop’s conference

[@franko2886]

The Dagon fish connection was helped popularised by H P Lovecraft's horror story.

[@Carlos-bz5oo]

And its inaccurate. Dagon was a fertility god. Its like portraying Demeter as a mermaid

[@AjenjoFierro]

Demeter, Demermaid, same thing

[@NicoBabyman1]

5:02 Why did the scribe had to draw the guy cross-eyed!? 😆 😂 🤣

[@varana]

"For Lord Dagon forever reborn in blood and fire from the waters of Oblivion." Ooops, wrong Dagon.

[@gavinburns2165]

😂

[@EndingSimple]

I always wondered about the horned Moses and the horned miters. Had no idea they were connected. I heard that the papal vestments were originally just the 'Sunday suits' of Roman nobles back in the day. I guess everything has a origin somewhere in time.

[@deutschermichel5807]

Itʼs kind of hard to understand what youʼre trying to say. What are papal vestments exactly? Does the Pope wear anything different than othet bishops?

[@EndingSimple]

@@deutschermichel5807Once upon a time, when people went to church, they wore their best clothing. These were called "Sunday suits." By 'vestments' I'm talking about the robes worn during the high ceremonies, not the hats. I was told once the the robes were evolved from what was originally the "Sunday suits' worn by Roman nobles."

[@deutschermichel5807]

@@EndingSimple oh you mean the vestments of deacons, priests and bishops? Yes, those pretty much developed from Late Roman clothing. Whether those clothes were the Sunday suits of Roman wealthier folk I donʼt know but I could imagine that they just were the everyday clothing. But when the fashion moved on and developed, the priests kept the old clothes but made it fancier.

[@logancade342]

Referring to 🤘 as 'devil horns' is out. Referring to 🤘 as 'pope horns' is in.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Or you’re a fan of the University of Texas

[@michaelsmith9453]

Same thing!

[@TheEnmineer]

@@merrittanimation7721 Whooosh

[@merrittanimation7721]

@@TheEnmineerI was just adding to the joke

[@saniainez]

​@@TheEnmineerhow is that a whoosh 😂

[@nunyabiznez6381]

There is also folk beliefs to consider. A great many people who may have attended Christian church services and masses on a regular basis and not educated had their own beliefs and opinions on this topic. My mother was a devout Irish Catholic. We had an illustrated Catholic Bible, St. Joseph's edition and in it was a black and white photo of the statue of the horned Moses in the Vatican that appears in this video. When I asked my mother about that photo she explained that because Moses killed one of Pharaoh's soldiers and therefore banned from entering the promised land he was destined to dwell in hell until Jesus redeemed him and that all who dwell in hell have horns. This was obviously learned from an earlier generation as I found elderly Roman Catholics at the time (1960's) who believed this as did my grandparents and at least one nun in CCD who told the same thing to me. More recently I was watching a documentary on religious art a few months ago that explained the horned statue of Moses as a misinterpretation of the bible and what it says about Moses similar to what is in this video. So I have an actual bishop's miter. On my confirmation day the bishop was a bit tipsy. He half assed the ceremony skipping over various parts and literally had to be propped up by our priests. I don't know how many times he took it off his head and put it back on and even dropped it on the floor a couple of times. After the confirmation that was a huge party in the Church hall also attended by the bishop where he no doubt added to his blood alcohol level by a point or two and I watched him drop his miter a couple of more times and finally he folded it up and put it on the table where he was sitting and he spilled food and beverage on it a couple of times and then on his way out of the hall he was examining it and disgusted tossed it into the trash barrel. I hate throwing away things. I am certain I was the only teenagers in the diocese with his own authentic bishop's miter worn by an actual Catholic bishop. I have the miter and a color photo of the bishop wearing it as he posed for a group photo with the newly confirmed Catholics.

[@deutschermichel5807]

Well dropping hats on the floor certainly isnʼt a part of a church service but constantly taking of and putting back on the mitre is actually a requirement for bishops. The bishop has to take of the mitre when praying directly to God but puts it on when addressing the people. Or something like that

[@SKOGLUND65]

What a story ;)

[@fabricdragon]

several of my Jewish friends have had people LEGIT ask to see their horns. like this poor sheltered Christian kid at college, sharing a room with one of my Jewish friends, was CONVINCED Jewish people had horns.

[@altiernayte]

Many of the muslim kids I tutored in hs would ask to see my horns once they found out I was jewish. I think their mothers or grandmothers would use jews as a sort of boogeyman/monster-under-the-bed figure. The kids were still pretty young (elementary/middle school) so they still took that very seriously

[@ferretyluv]

That’s a new one to me. Maybe it’s just guys who get that question. Or Orthodox Jews.

[@papaver5]

Yeah, being raised in a Jewish home. I can confirm this is a thing. I was wondering how and why this came about. Religion is getting more ridiculous every day, hooray.

[@originaluddite]

Reminds me of how many still think that women and men have different numbers of ribs, except this is worse.

[@timmysleftnutsack5075]

@@altiernayte ask an Israeli child what they think of Arabs and watch them describe a dog. Boohoo.

[@skrgrnd]

2:02 Finn from Adventure Time?!

[@LangThoughts]

I always thought that Jerome used "Horned" because the Hebrew word for "Horn" is a homograph for the word used in Exodus for "Rays".

[@DudeManDude-ot5fv]

If there's one thing all religions agree on it's that we all need to be wearing funny hats.

[@m_d1905]

So glad its mot Dagon. That argument is right up there with Jesus being related to Hey Zues, because we all know ancient Greek and Aramaic sounds just like English.

[@QuantumHistorian]

On the topic if horns its worth noting that depictions of Alexandria the Great very often show him with horns - especially on coins. Those come from him being associated with the Egyptian God Amun after his famous visit to the oracle. I dont know if thats part of the same tradition as the late antique horned=glorified or a parallel one, but it shows the idea had been around since at least 300 BC in the near east.

[@tombraiderstrums09]

I love how you were careful to note that you are drawing on the research of well-known pointy hat experts. We appreciate your academic integrity!

[@Parmandur]

As a Catholic, I know that the alligator bishop cartoon is part of a horrible legacy of bigotry and oppression...but now, out of context, it is so funny to me

[@merrittanimation7721]

It is very silly looking

[@tiffanyh1274]

My first thought was how similar things still are today. Fundamentalists terrified of public schools. Must home school the kids and burn books. Lord knows if we let them go to school, they’ll be drug dealers, hookers, and communists. Most of us went to public school. And we’re fine. My mom went to a catholic school, and she’s fine. Religious panic. Some things never change.

[@hedgehog3180]

Could make for an awesome Soulslike enemy.

[@JamesTheFantastic-yg3wy]

As a Catholic, the protestants were probably referring to the Catholic Church's legacy as the largest, most well-funded syndicate of pedophiles the world has, or ever will see.

[@waldothewalrus294]

Are you familiar with Chick Tracts? They depict much of the same things and are also hilarious out of context

[@bonojennett]

8:25 Good to see scholars like Dan McClellan getting some recognition.👌🏼

[@michaeladu6120]

'To be horned means to be glorified' Does this have anything to do with Alexander the Great's two horns?

[@QuantumHistorian]

In Alexander's case, I believe, it's to do with him being the son of Zeus Amon (following his visit to the Egyptian oracle). That suggests a different tradition to the Judeo-Christian one, although if you go far back enough it's all part of the same Semitic melting pot anyway.

[@GeorgeEarlAlvarezIII-xm2hk]

Or it is a mockery of the "man with the crown with two horns " in Surah Al kahaf in The Holy Quran

[@originaluddite]

The Dagon mention suddenly flashed me back to the Chick Tracts that some kid at school lent me. Woowee that was some crazy stuff.

[@sammyjones8279]

I wonder where people come up with these rumors like "Yeah there's an ancient fish god that's why the pope's hat looks funny". Is it just Vibes? Do these people have visions? "My source is that I made the f up!"

[@inukleist5258]

Everytime You mention dan mcclellan it feels like a teaser for an epic crossover with 2 of My favourite bible scholars 😆

[@al77709]

Fun fact: the hats of the Popes reflect their diet, as shown by Darwin's studies of the native clergy of Galapagos islands. The pointy modern hat reveals the carnivorous tendencies of recent popes, who subsist on a diet of demons and evil spirits they subdue with their holy venom. Past popes had flat, crushing mitres more suited for grinding leaves and tree bark, while intermediate popes such as Gregory XIII (of the Gregorian calendar fame) were seed eaters. Unique mitre morphologies have also been recorded in the papal fossil record, reflecting specialized diets. Caiaphas' flat, "mouse-eared" mitre might be adapted for durophagy, i.e. eating of shellfish and other tough-shelled animals that are broken between the two halves of the hat. Of course, his depiction with this hat in the Oberammergau play is also a veiled insult, portraying him as a hard-headed man too set in his ways to ever change. (P.S. Great series! Speaking of Moses' horns of glory, there's a passage in the Legends of the Jews where he goes to heaven and gores angels to death like a reverse Doomslayer. Also, I always found it interesting how it parallels the horned hats of Mesopotamian gods).

[@1TakoyakiStore]

Having the Miter oriented with the split facing forward actually reminds me of a pistachio with the split shell still intact.

[@Traderjoe]

I’m a modern day Catholic and there’s presently no negative indication of other faiths present in the modern church. If there are people who harbor such sentiments, I have not seen them. So as a people of this faith there’s no call to dislike Catholics for feelings of the past and we should all consider that this religion is an evolving religion and not as rigid as people might think.

[@donaldherbert8138]

south park taught me, it was made for rabbits.

[@stargatis]

I came here looking for you. I came looking for truth.

[@thejontao]

My gut instinct upon seeing a mitre is to compare it to the double crown of Egyptian pharaohs.

[@JohnSkeel]

Sure seems like it right? Both pharaoh and pope are the divine spokesperson of their god.

[@QuantumHistorian]

Pretty sure the double crown of pharaohs is explicitly to represent them being lords of both upper and lower Egypt, rather than any divine role. Sometimes, a coincidence is just a coincidence.

[@PamelaContiGlass]

In Italian folk lore, having horns means your spouse is fooling around on you. Italy being Italy, "cornuto" (horned) is a common insult, mostly directed at men (but not exclusively), often used with a hand gesture of a raised hand with only the index and pinky finger showing and the other digits retracted. This is (was) popular while driving cars in traffic, when someone wanted to espress contempt and insult for another driver. Similar to how the middle finger is used in the USA, but rather than meaning F*** You, it means cuckhold. This has nothing to do with the Pope's hat, but I figured it made for a good folk tale.

[@Davi_Vilhena]

In Brazil "corno" means horn, but is mostly used to say a man is being cheated on, and we can say someone 'has horns' or is 'being horned' that means the same. All that is mostly informal popular expression

[@TurtleMarcus]

Your first sentence reminds of this: the coats of arms of bishops always feature a green wideo hat (galero), but John Tong Hon, Bishop of Hong Kong, used a violet hat in his coat of arms, since "wearing a green hat" is Chinese slang for having an unfaithful wife. He switched to the regular green one later, however.

[@limonadiautomaattimekaanikko]

You should consider making more videos about religious clothings and their histories. Great video!

[@Sxcheschka]

Mitre "You feel blessed" Gives a 50% chance of converting red heart drops into soul hearts. Counts as 1 of 3 angel items needed towards the Seraphim transformation.

[@andrewrichens5733]

Also for those interested in anatomy, the mitre is the namesake for the Mitral valve located in the heart

[@3tp]

1:13 - THIS IS UNTRUE. Early Christians invented the visor wig and wore them with great dedication. In fact, the monk hairstyle with the shaved dome evolved from the practice.

[@Ana-ty7ng]

The best theory I've seen for the purpose of the big pope hat was that jesus is under there controlling him ratatouille style

[@phillipbernhardt-house6907]

Thanks for another excellent video, Dr. Henry! Mellinkoff's book is one of my favorite (academic/medievalist) books of all time! As soon as the video started, I wondered, "Is he going to mention Horned Moses?" You did not disappoint! ;)

[@Mordy94]

The Hebrew word for “shone” קרן in that verse could also be translated as horn. Is that an unrelated coincidence or was that overlooked in the video?

[@marcobelli6856]

Overlooked you are 100% right

[@charlesor1023]

this is religion in a nutshell: some random guy makes a mistake copying a text and that causes a bunch of guys using funny horned hats.

[@Rocky-ur9mn]

Weak bait

[@akafiend]

I always assumed it was an adaption of the pschent, the double crown worn by Egyptian rulers

[@Cletus_the_Elder]

Fascinating. I believe the gossip among certain Protestant circles, floating around as scholarship, was that the headdress was pagan in origin.

[@valmid5069]

Can’t wait for more content from this channel!

[@xiaotaozhou8662]

Another explanation given by a bishop (I don’t remember who exactly) was that the shape of the mitre resembles the fire of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

[@nolanalexander8696]

I remember watching movie clip about investiture of Thomas Becket, the bishop read the rite of crowning the mitre: I put the helmet of defense and salvation/that with forehead thus adorned/head armed with the horns of both testaments/he may appear fearsome/to the enemies of faith.

[@teknochaos]

regarding Moses's "horned face": in Hebrew (both ancient and modern) the word for "radiated" (קרנו) is of the same root as "horn"

[@CristiNeagu]

3:36 Wait, doesn't that mean that the devil might have horns for the same reason?

[@scaper8]

I could see that. Lucifer was the "brightest" of all the angels and he wanted to self-glorify. I don't know if there's any historical basis in it, but it would be an interesting dive either way.

[@vladprus4019]

With the Devil, I think it's more that the goat was animal often associated with Satan due to the Gospel often using goat metaphorically as negative contrast to positive sheep. Notice that other goat-like features are also common on the depictions of the devil. There is also a connection to the demonization of the Greek god Pan and the figures of the Satyrs/Fauns

[@CristiNeagu]

@@vladprus4019 So may be the other way around, then. Where the devil was based off of the image of a goat, therefore had horns, but horns also imply being enlightened, therefore Lucifer, the bright.

[@thesleepingbeauty12]

​​@@CristiNeaguthe name Lucifer itself means something to do with light (bringer of light maybe? i don't remember for sure), etymologically related to words like "lucid", "elucidate", "translucent", and even "lunar", "illuminate", and "lightning" come from the same root.

[@johnnzboy]

I can't help but wonder if there wasn't also an aesthetic consideration to the change in orientation of the mitre; a flat surface allows for more visible decoration with valuable fabrics and even jewels, and thus increases the bishop's stature and magnificence in the eyes of the congregation.

[@markjohnson7197]

Also: the Crown of Emperor Rudolf II (later the Imperial Crown of Austria). The coronation of the Holy Roman Emperors was always symbolically accompanied by consecrations that emphasised the divine right and also the spiritual rank of the emperor. Interestingly, this crown, which was made in 1602 (just like the Imperial Crown of Russia, not until 1762!), uses the old form of the mitre with a band. Probably as a reference to the universal empire (the video also refers to Byzantium).

[@andreygelman6599]

In fact, in Hebrew, a ray (of light) and a horn are denoted by the same word - "keren" - the context is usually unambiguous. So the early latin translation is just a mistranslation.

[@jordancenteno6438]

Oh goodie, the start of “Why dose religion = funny hat” series

[@dingokidneys]

I was told in preparation for my 'confirmation' to the Anglican church in 1973 that the bishop's mitre was a representation of the tongues of flame seen above the apostles heads on the day of Pentecost; i.e. representative of the Holy Spirit in that person. Maybe a case of retconning to ascribe a more satisfying/relevant meaning upon that occasion rather than a more mundane and awkward actual derivation of that kooky headgear.

[@MANMASTERable]

😮. ?😮

[@taotaostrong]

If he turns it upside down it makes a good 🍟French Fry box.

[@TheKraken5360]

How am I just learning that there's a 2nd channel??

[@SneedSeeding]

I mean I'd agree with the take on supersessionism being a reason for a change. It is definitely the theology of the Orthodox and Traditional Catholic Churches (no, that doesn't mean we hate Jews like the Austrian painter or something, even though they really seethe about supersessionism).

[@jonanjello]

Chris Knowles sent me. Looking forward to discovering and learning from your channel. Thank you.

[@DneilB007]

Of course the Pope’s mitre is pointed. How else would it cut wood?

[@louisjov]

On the subject of horns then, how did the devil acquire them?

[@rodbrewster4629]

It was to accommodate Saint Peter Rabbits ears. I saw it on a South Park documentary.

[@spectacularbear]

someone show this video to the Elden Ring lore guys I think that they need this after the DLC

[@grandsonofman]

Some of you all need to go back restudy what those early reformers said about Catholicism and the papacy.... let alone your American founding fathers. Conspiracy theories aside, there is a reason weve only had 2 OPENLY catholic presidents ever.

[@sabrinaantonioverita3061]

absolutely fantastic video as always.

[@paulkoza8652]

Nice job, Andrew.

[@bananoatmeal]

I haven't watched the video yet but I always saw conspiracy pictures of it being a Dagon symbolism.

[@ReligionForBreakfast]

Yeah pretty common theory. Though it’s a Medieval invention.

[@mikehart5619]

What about the posthole digger origin theory?

[@VectorParallax]

Could it have been as simple as a pope turning his has sideways to seem more cool to the kids.

[@365Pancakes]

Your videos are amazing, always very interesting and informative

[@BlackHermit]

This is the best origin in the world! I like hats and Popes and origins!!!

[@stargatis]

How far back have you gone in religion’s origins? That’s my favorite origin. Also language

[@BlackHermit]

@@stargatis Yes, I love researching the etymology of words! Origins are such a wonderful subject!!!

[@kennethMblake]

Thank you for posting this. The part about the horns being a verbal depiction of the glory of God (Moses at Mount Sinai) is fascinating. Always wondered why Catholic mitres are the way that they are thanks again, Professor!

[@fotisvon9943]

its cool to wonder about how ancient Catholicism really is. It is older than our discovery of north america. it is older than like every nation on earth. yet people just think of Catholicism as simply another religion

[@Datroflshopper]

Pope Hat is hand down one of the best pieces of religious headgear out there, maybe competing only with those really massive turbans

[@mathieuleader8601]

I like how the forerunner to Santa Sinterklass wears a mitre as a part of his outfit

[@spyrofrost9158]

The Pope's mitre doubles as a masterwork light melee weapon at 1d4/x2, just in case someone gets too close for comfort.

[@Bramble451]

Depicting important religious figures with horns reminds me of the ancient Near Eastern practice of depicting gods with horns. That's a tradition that lasted for thousands of years. Any chance that could be related to depicting figures like Moses with horns?

[@itaye666]

Looks kindof like a side-ways Perfect Cell from Dragon Ball Z

[@alpagator1372]

I don't buy that explanation for the rotation. More likely it was just a style change and the connection to the new testament is completely ad hoc

[@johaquila]

I totally agree. Most likely some trendsetter bishop decided that he doesn't want to look like an animal (or worse, like the devil), and rotated his hat. The 'reasons' sound like retroactive rationalizations after the new fashion became popular.

[@ButSeriouslyThough]

I also don't buy it; but, considering the two "horns" were understood to symbolize the Old and New Testaments, I don't think the stylistic change had no purposeful symbolic significance. Keep in mind that Christian supersessionism historically is not "the New Testament replaces the Old" but rather "the New Testament is a mystagogy of the Old." As such, the liturgical vestments of bishops were seen as a "fulfillment" of the Kohen Gadol's vestments described in the Torah, including his headdress, the turban and the headband inscribed with "Holy to YHWH." So, I don't think it was a mere stylistic change with no intentional symbolic meaning. However, I'd rather assume that the symbolic meaning isn't that the New Testament is better than the Old, but rather that they are one and the same thing and you can't have one without the other: looking at the mitre from the side, you have the same symbolism as the "old style," with the two "horns" representing the two Testaments, but seeing it from the front or the back (as in when the bishop leads the Mass), you'd see only one "horn," the two coalescing into one. It may even have a strongly anti-Judaic intention: while the "old style" means that Christian bishops have the same expertise on the Old Testament as any rabbi does, on top of having expertise on the New Testament, the "new style" means that the two cannot even be separated, so that rabbis are not even relevant to the topic anymore. All of this is just my speculation of course. My point is that this seems like a better hypothesis on why the style of mitre may have changed than what is suggested in the video.

[@benjaminsteele13]

​@@ButSeriouslyThoughisn't the last anti-Jewish point the central tenant of supersessionist ideology?

[@quantumfoam539]

Simple: Pope's mitre is pike a gothic arch. The orthodox Patriarch's mitre is like a byzantine dome

[@jonathanstensberg]

Artistically, the Pope is usually signified by the tri-regnum (triple crown), often called the papal tiara. Sadly, this iconic headdress has be shunned by the recent popes, last employed by Pope Paul VI in 1963.

[@deutschermichel5807]

The triple tiara is actually a symbol of the temporal rule of the Pope over the Papal States which donʼt really exist anymore. Wearing a big old crown while ruling the smallest state in the world would be kind of pretentious

[@musar03580]

@@deutschermichel5807 I've never been able to find a definitive explanation for the papal tiara. Can you recall where you learned that the tiara is a symbol of rule over the Papal States? I'd like to find a primary source for this.

[@musar03580]

When I began watching this video, I thought it was going to be about the papal tiara, but it is instead about the bishop's mitre.

[@TurtleMarcus]

I have been told that the triregnum represented the Pope's triple office of Vicar of Christ, Successor of St. Peter, and Teacher of all Christians. But that is probably one of those "explanation invented after the fact to explain something" that we so often see in religious traditions.

[@TheBrunohusker]

So as I still practicing Roman Catholic, this was interesting. And all my years of Catholic school and being engaged in my faith, I never really asked about why bishops dresses the way they do. I just figured they did and that was that so this is a very good and very interesting video. Congrats, also I’ve never heard of the whole story about the hat looking like a fishes mouth, but I could see where people get that granted the whole fish god thing sounds like typical protestant nonsense but I get it.

[@thescoobymike]

That picture of mitre crocodiles tho 😂

[@tonysladky8925]

How the heck is a 19th century political cartoon the only time I've seen the mitre as the jaws of a crocodile? Someone's gotta bring that back for a metal album cover... whatever you wanna call the genre of art style of games like Blasphemous or Trench Crusade.

[@franko2886]

Excellent explanation.

[@dojokonojo]

When a dog wears a Pope hat its, the cutest thing

[@simono5114]

Humans and funny hats, the best part of history.

[@Engelhafen]

The crown of the Austrian-Hungarian Emperor also incorporated the side mitre along with a secular crown - used until 1918.

[@sadattahmeed7462]

The translation of Hebrew word Qaran into horn doesn't seem that random, actually. Although in the context of that verse, shining is the appropriate meaning, horn is indeed another valid meaning of the word. As someone noted in another comment, they share the same root קר"ן. In fact, the first time you mentioned the Latin word conrnuta (horn), it immediately reminded of the Quranic figure Zul-Qarnayn (The Lord of Two horns). The Arabic word Qarn here does happen to be a cognate of the Hebrew one. It's interesting to know that having two horns were seen as symbolizing glorification in a religious sense. I always wondered why the Quranic holy figure would be portrayed in an image commonly associated with the devil. This might even shed new light on the Zul-Qarnayn story, who knows?

[@jasonharris2291]

I'm remodeling my bathroom and will make the toilet look like a fancy pope throne. I'll put on my Pope hat when doing my "thinking".

[@JeffMonsoon]

Mitre gives boost to the Faith stat and they’re trying to emulate the Hornsent who’s horns were a symbol of divinity. It’s basically Elden Ring

[@PatrickORourke90]

this is a good video. I learned a lot from it.

[@Grayraven777]

It all still seems very fishy to me.