Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Caspar Klein

Installed as bishop of the old and prestigious diocese of Paderborn/Germany in 1920, Caspar Klein became the first archbishop of this city, when Pius XI raised the see to an archdiocese in 1930. The diocese of Paderborn was founded in 799 by Leo III. During the middle ages worldly territory was acquired and the bishops became prince-bishops. After the dissolution of the Empire, the diocese was reinstated in 1821.



Caspar Klein is one of the few German bishops from the 20th century which I have seen in a cappa with ermine tails. And what is this thing covering his rochet? Or is it the rochet? It shows the coat of arms of an archbishop (I got twenty bucks that say it's Klein's). It is kind of weird, isn't it?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Klein's crest bore a stylized white dove carrying an olive branch on a pale blue background, in the upper right and lower left quarters. The small portion of the upper right quarter shown here bears a striking resemblance to the image of the dove on Klein's coat of arms. The armorial bearings of the Archdiocese of Parderborn include a gold cross on a red field -- which is the upper right quarter of Klein's crest as well as that of the current Archbishop, Hans-Josef Becker.

Anonymous said...

Permit me to correct myself. The gold cross on the red field is in the upper LEFT quarter of both Klein's and Becker's arms.

Anonymous said...

His coat of arms is simply embroidered on his rochet. That's rare but not really that weird. Note the rochet has no lace but is simply decorated with embroidered thread at the bottom.