Small, Medium or Large? Tailor Prepares For The Next Pope
- Editor OGN Daily
- May 3
- 1 min read
With the identity of the new pope remaining a mystery until after the secret conclave, Raniero Mancinelli is preparing a selection of white vestments that can be donned at short notice.
Inside his renowned Roman shop, some 300 meters (328 yards) from the Vatican walls, Mancinelli is handcrafting three different-seized papal vestments in anticipation of the new pontiff. “Making these three robes, the day he will go onto the balcony, I think that one of them should fit well, reasonably well, if not perfectly…we just try.”
Mancinelli, who opened his boutique 'Mancinelli Clero' in the Borgo Pio neighbourhood in 1962, dressed Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis I. Over the years, his workshop has become a fixture for clergy and cardinals seeking expertly made cassocks and vestments crafted entirely by hand. And, right now, he is incredibly busy.
The surge in demand stems from the upcoming conclave, which will gather 133 cardinals in Rome. Many are seeking new attire, including sashes, skullcaps, and collars, to be properly outfitted for the solemn gathering.
“There are so many requests I’ve lost count,” Mancinelli explains. “Cardinals are coming in for last-minute fittings. Some need a new sash, others a zucchetto, some are missing the collar. Everyone wants to be ready."
The family business, now run with help from his daughter and grandson, is operating at full speed.
