Mitre facts for kids

The arms of Pope Benedict XVI show a bishop's mitre instead of the pope's crown

A mitre is a tall hat worn by leaders in some Christian churches. In the Roman Catholic church, it is worn by bishops, archbishops or cardinals (higher order). The front and back are the shape of a triangle. It is only worn when the bishop is dressed in his special religious clothes, but is used on a coat of arms to show that the owner is a bishop.

Mitres are also worn by some clergy in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches.

Images for kids

Mitre of the Orthodox Metropolitan Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna, martyred when the Turks captured the city in 1922.
Elaborately embroidered Eastern Orthodox mitre, 1715. The Orthodox mitre, adopted after the fall of Constantinople, is derived from the Byzantine crown.
Bishops of the Armenian Catholic Church in Jerusalem wearing mitres.
A Russian grenadier mitre.
Prussian 1st Garde-Regiment zu Fuss in mitres 1894.
A chess bishop in the standard Staunton pattern.
Mitre simplex traditional style: White damask with its white lappets ending in red fringes.
Benedict XVI wearing a pretiosa: elaborately embroidered mitre.