A cappello romano (pl. cappelli romani; Italian, 'Roman hat') or saturno (pl. saturni; because its appearance is reminiscent of the ringed planet Saturn) is a clerical hat with a wide, circular brim and a rounded crown worn outdoors in some countries by Catholic clergy, when dressed in a cassock.
Unlike many other articles of clerical clothing, the cappello romano serves no ceremonial purpose, being primarily a practical item. (The galero is a ceremonial wide brim hat no longer usually worn. However, on February 19, 2011, Raymond Cardinal Burke became the first cardinal in recent times to wear [for a single photo] the galero.) The cappello romano is not used in liturgical services. Since the general abandonment of the cassock as street dress, it is uncommon even in Rome today. However, it was quite popular there and in some other countries with a Catholic majority population from the 17th century until around 1970.
The cappello romano is a round, broad-brimmed, low-crowned hat made of either beaver fur, felt or straw and lined in white silk.
There are some, mostly minor, differences in the designs of cappelli, depending on the rank of the wearer:
