Sic transit gloria mundi

So Pope Benedict is visiting DC soon. There is a big push to get people to metro to the event. The metro commissioned an ad featuring a "Pope Benedict" bobblehead doll, which it is now spiking after the diocese expressed concerns.

My initial reaction is that the diocese has no sense of humor. Though to be fair, this comes from someone who dressed up as the Pope for Halloween in 10th grade.

However, it turns out that they objected to the fact that the Benedict Bobblehead was incorrectly dressed:

"Our concern is that this was a bad bobblehead," said Susan Gibbs, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese. "You had unauthorized merchandise and you had a misdressed pope."

The bobblehead portrayed in the Metro video was wearing a red skull cap, known as a zucchetto, and a red cape. "Popes don't wear red skull caps" and they don't wear red capes, only white ones, Gibbs said.

"We think there's a better way to encourage people to take Metro," Gibbs said. "This is the Holy Father, and I think a lot of people would not be comfortable with a bobblehead ad."

The video showed a 7 3/4 inch bobblehead of Pope Benedict XVI riding a Green Line train, buying a special one-day pass, and demonstrating proper Metro etiquette, like standing on the right going up an escalator.

Comments

The red robes and red zucchetto are for a cardinal rather than a pope.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_%28Catholicism%29#Vesture_and_privileges

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zucchetto

Posted by Tim Fowler | April 9, 2008 11:43 AM

And the biggest inaccuracy...

The Pope won't be riding the Metro with us poor slobs any more than Gore would.

Posted by Jim Gannon | April 9, 2008 11:48 AM

Also, Papa Ratzi only wears Armani.

And Hitler Youth armbands.

Posted by John Hagey | April 9, 2008 12:25 PM

There was a similar brouhaha in the DC-area Japanese community in the last two weeks about the Target ads keyed to the Cherry Blossom Festival. You may have seen them in the Post: Two non-Asian women wearing yukata (a casual kimono) amidst cherry blossoms. Quite charming. But if you look closely, however, you'll see that the right side of the yukata is layered over the left side, which is a horrible style faux pas in Japan, as that's how bodies are dressed for funerals; the living wear kimono and yukata with the left side over the right. The local Japanese discussion boards were full of indignation, which might seem an overreaction, but I think the visceral reaction to such faux pas is something we Americans, who have on the whole become so informal about our dress, find difficult to understand... Where's Robin Givens when she's really needed?

Posted by Richard | April 9, 2008 12:31 PM

Ooops. I, of course, meant Robin Givhan.

Posted by Richard | April 9, 2008 12:34 PM

My initial reaction is that the diocese has no sense of humor.

Feel free to start your own religion if you think you can do a better job. Otherwise clam up.

Think of it as a business opportunity.

Posted by Margalis | April 9, 2008 1:00 PM

I'm not even Christian and I knew that cardinals wear the skullcaps and red robes... but I think that knowledge comes from Monty Python.

Posted by J.W. Hamner | April 9, 2008 3:14 PM

Margalis,

Petty much?

The more you post, the more I am certain you are Glenn Greenwald himself.

Posted by Skullberg | April 9, 2008 3:44 PM

That's silly, Margalis. I don't think you have a sense of humor, but it doesn't mean I have to go looking for a new troll.

Posted by mike | April 9, 2008 4:34 PM

I think objecting to the dress of the bobblehead, first, and the existance of the bobblehead after, shows quite a good sense of humor.

Posted by Njorl | April 10, 2008 1:41 PM

It does illustrate a remarkable stupidity on the part of the taxpayer-funded Metro employees who couldn't tell that this was a joke they'd be better off not making.

Posted by dcuser | April 12, 2008 12:54 PM