A nonprofit hopes to generate enough small donations to construct a papal tiara for Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics.<\/p>\n
A newly established nonprofit launched a crowdfunding effort to construct a papal tiara that will contain Catholic and American symbolism, with the plan to offer it to Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics for the first pontiff from the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cHistorically, the majority of papal tiaras are gifts, usually from the home diocese of the pope or from religious [communities] they may be affiliated with,\u201d Isaac Smith, a convert to Catholicism and the founder of Amici Vaticani, told EWTN News.<\/p>\n
Smith said he was motivated to launch the project to provide Leo with a papal tiara based on the desire for \u201cus, as Americans, to continue that tradition.\u201d He said the first American pope is \u201csuch a historical milestone\u201d for Catholicism in the United States.<\/p>\n
The history of papal crowns dates back to at least the eighth century with the word \u201ctiara\u201d first used in the 12th century. A second crown was added to the tiara in the 13th century to symbolize that the pope holds authority in both spiritual and temporal matters.<\/p>\n
A three-crown tiara first appeared in the 14th century. One interpretation of the three crowns is that they represent the threefold office of Christ: priest, prophet, and king. Another suggests it represents the militant, the suffering, and the triumphant Church.<\/p>\n
The proposed tiara commissioned by Amici Vaticani maintains the 14th-century tradition of three crowns. The tiara will be constructed with sterling silver and the crowns will be gold-plated.<\/p>\n
Because the gift is meant to honor Leo\u2019s American heritage, the tiara will have red, white, and blue stones, which represent the colors of the American flag. It will incorporate other American symbols: oak leaves, representing the national tree; and corn stalks, representing the national crop.<\/p>\n
Some of the symbols included in the tiara have dual meanings relevant to both the papacy and the United States. It will incorporate roses, which is a symbol of the Virgin Mary and the national flower; and it will incorporate olives, which is a symbol of the pontiff\u2019s commitment to peace and appears on the Great Seal of the United States.<\/p>\n
A buttony cross will sit atop the crown as a symbol of American Catholicism. The cross is used in the coat of arms for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the country\u2019s first Catholic diocese, and is featured on the flag of Maryland, which is the location of the first English Catholic colonies.<\/p>\n
The design, Smith explained, is meant to be \u201celegant and traditional\u201d to honor the office of the papacy but is also meant to \u201cincorporate distinctively American elements\u201d to honor the pope\u2019s American heritage.<\/p>\n
Maltese jeweler Gabriel Farrugia works on a project. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Gabriel Farrugia<\/p>\n
Smith said he hopes to fund the project through small donations from the American Catholic faithful so the pontiff can see \u201cthis was a group effort\u201d and a gift from Catholics in his home country. This project, he said, provides \u201ca tangible way for people to connect with the successor of Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also said he plans to compile the names of every person who donates more than $20 into a book, which would be presented to the Holy Father along with the crown and would say on the cover: \u201cHoly Father, please pray for these people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith said his intention is that the tiara can \u201chopefully [be] put on display in a place of honor\u201d after it is constructed \u201cand presented to the pope when he visits.\u201d When Leo met Vice President JD Vance, the pontiff said he would travel to the United States at some point, although the Holy Father does not have any specific publicly announced plans to visit as of yet.<\/p>\n
The tiara will be constructed by a Maltese jeweler and artist named Gabriel Farrugia, who has a background in creating religious art, including an Our Lady of F\u00e1tima crown, which was used in a coronation ceremony in Guardamangia, Malta. He has also been commissioned by Catholic churches for artistic projects.<\/p>\n
The tiara\u2019s lappets will be hand-embroidered by Sacra Domus Aurea, a company that designs and creates traditional Catholic vestments.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking sacred art is a type of thanksgiving to the One who created us,\u201d Farrugia told EWTN News.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the God that created us and gave us life, I think we should give him something,\u201d he said, adding that sacred art provides \u201csomething that will be left there for ages\u201d and something for \u201cpeople to admire, to enjoy, and to reflect [upon].\u201d<\/p>\n
The construction of the crown has not yet begun, as Amici Vaticani is still in the early stages of the crowdfunding effort.<\/p>\n
Amici Vaticani was launched in 2025 for the purpose of constructing the tiara. According to its website, the nonprofit also seeks to build up \u201cthe awakening of a Catholic spirit in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur country, once defined by its Protestant heritage, is now witnessing a boon of conversions,\u201d the website notes. \u201cMen and women rediscovering the depth, beauty, and authority of the Catholic faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
This article was originally published by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n