The Mantum of the Patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal

As will be known to many of our readers, historically the patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal, was bestowed many privileges related to the use of symbols that had come to be most commonly associated with the Roman pontiff, while others simply emulated the pope's usages. For example, while he did not have the privilege of the tiara, he used a mitre whose form approximated the "triple crown" in its design. What's more, two processional fans, called flabellum, were also carried in a way that had come to mainly be associated with the pope in the Latin west and he also had a sedia gestatoria like throne, utilized something approximate to the papal falda and also wore the fanon over his chasuble. In addition to all this, the patriarch also utilized the mantum, which is simply a very long form of the cope. This is our subject for today.  

Some of these items were at one time more broadly used at earlier times in church history. Flabellum for example were used in relation to the sacred species (and they continue to be symbolically used as such in the Christian East in the form of metal fans as well as in the Dominican rite). Likewise the mantum, for while it shortened in other instances to the form of cope we now know, the Roman pontiffs retained it in its longer form -- at least, that is, until the post-conciliar period. As such, many of these objects, for those in the Latin rite, came to be understood as explicitly papal symbols, and it seems clear enough that in the case of Lisbon, these were certainly intended to mirror the pope's own liturgical usages. 

Today I thought we would take a quick look at a few examples of the patriarchal mantum -- examples which certainly have a beauty and quality worth of a Roman pontiff, including a very rare example in rose.

The room in which these photos are set, incidentally, are the vesting chambers specifically designated for the patriarch at the cathedral of Lisbon. Many of our readers will be familiar with the rich vesting rites and prayers that accompany the traditional Roman rite -- a solemn and beautiful set of ceremonies worth attempting to see at least once in your life.  One can well imagine the solemnity with which this would have been undertaken in this setting with these beautiful objects of liturgical art. 

Let's take a closer look.

We conclude with the very rare example in rose which would have only found use twice in the liturgical year. 

If you'd like to read more about the privileges associated to the Patriarch of Lisbon, see our articles, Introducing the Patriarchal Tiara and Patriarchal Liturgy of Lisbon.