The tiara is the pope’s crown. There are more than twenty actual papal tiaras in existence. Over a period of about one thousand years until recently, each new pope was crowned with a tiara at his coronation.
Since the 14th century the Pope’s tiara has had three tiers. According to the Vatican, the three layers symbolize “the triple power of the Pope: father of kings, governor of the world and Vicar of Christ.”i
