Historically, a Papal Coronation was a six-hour ceremony in which a new pope was crowned as head of the Roman Catholic Church (and before 1870, head of state of the Papal States). Traditionally, a three-tiered Triple Tiara or Papal Tiara was used in the ceremony, and the new pope would take the papal oath.
The last pope to be crowned by this method was Pope Paul VI. His two successors to date, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II opted for a less formal inauguration ceremony.
The future of the formal coronation ceremony is uncertain. Future Popes have the option of returning to the formal ceremony. But with the recent emphasis of a simpler and a less regal church government it remains to be seen what will happen.
Whether or not Pope Benedict XVI will be coronated is to be seen when he is formally installed as Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Roman Church on April 24, 2005 and take the throne of Peter, the apostle and the rock which Christ built his church. Pope Benedict XVI being very conservative may opt to reinstate the Papal Coronation and restore the pomp and ceremony to Church.
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