These papal tailors aren’t expecting a traditional order for new cassocks to outfit the next pope

ROME AP Two papal tailors and no conclave orders The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in years for which the Vatican hasn t ordered a set of cassocks for the new head of the Catholic Church at least from the two best-known papal tailors That isn t stopping Raniero Mancinelli who opened his ecclesiastical tailoring shop near the Vatican in the s from making three simple white cassocks just in event the traditional small medium and large sizes to cover all practicable heights and girths I m doing this on my own to be able to present these cassocks for the next pope without knowing who he will be Mancinelli revealed Gammarelli another family-run ecclesiastical tailor near the Pantheon in the historic center has a paper trail showing it has received cassock orders for every conclave since the beginning of the th century and seemingly far earlier Gammarelli has been making garments for priests bishops and cardinals since The last time no pre-conclave order came in to the Vatican s tailor of choice Gammarelli was October when cardinal electors voted a successor to Pope John Paul I who died after days as pontiff announced Lorenzo Gammarelli representing the sixth generation of the family business Gammarelli won t speculate why no order was made this year but Italian media suggests the Vatican has enough unworn cassocks on hand and is honoring Pope Francis message of environmental and economic sustainability Obviously we re a little sorry because in the sadness caused by the death of the Holy Father we still would have the beautiful thing of having to make the trousseau for the new one Not this time Gammarelli stated The Vatican declined to comment on what is being viewed as the great papal cassock race I don t think I need to speak on behalf of businesses revealed Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni Not every curiosity requirements to be answered The papal trousseau For a pope s first encounter with the flock the basic garment is the hand-stitched white wool cassock with cape and wide silk sleeves The cassock is fastened by silk buttons and worn with a silk brocade sash with gold fringe All popes until Francis had this sash later embroidered with his papal seal Francis also eschewed the classic burgundy red mozzetta a short elbow-length cape worn for formal occasions and a gold embroidered stole not only the night of his electoral process but throughout his papacy The papal garb is finished with a white zucchetto or skullcap that is also worn by cardinals in red and bishops in purple When they are called on to provide a conclave order Gammarelli also provides shoes in an array of sizes so the new pope will be peaceful when presented to his flock After that Gammarelli disclosed shoes are a very personal matter Francis favored plain black shoes and was buried in a pair with the scuff marks showing In keeping with the secrecy of the conclave Gammarelli never reveals papal prices Sizing up the next pope While the world speculates on who will be the next pope Gammarelli s job is more practical The family has a system to best outfit the unknown successor using details from their cardinal clients and sizing up cardinal candidates who are not We consider who in our opinion could be elected Gammarelli noted We pull out their measurements and we make three cassocks that would more or less fit all of them Balcony mishaps Their best guesses are sometimes off Gammarelli commented they never imagined that Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla would become pope in October They had considered Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio a candidate in when Benedict XVI was elected but not in when Bergoglio became the church s first Latin American pope Back in the portly John XXIII appeared on the balcony of St Peter s Basilica with safety pins holding together the back of his cassock after a too-small size was mistakenly grabbed forcing aides to open the back Gammarelli explained that throughout Francis -year papacy he tried to persuade the pope to wear white pants under his cassock But Francis stuck with the black trousers of a priest a reminder to himself and everyone that he was a pastor at heart Francis unadorned style Mancinelli at his shop just approaches from the Vatican has made cassocks for the last three popes St John Paul II Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis He got to know Benedict when he was a cardinal living near Mancinelli s shop Francis later invited him to his apartment in the Santa Marta residence marking the beginning of a very pleasant encounter period While Gammarelli won t make the cassocks on speculation Mancinelli is making three to give to the Vatican in Francis simple unadorned style all in white Compared with the other two Francis preferred much simpler and much more practical things he commented also taking costs into account Only after the words Habemus Papam are released from the balcony of St Peter s Basilica will it be clear whether the Catholic Church s th pontiff will follow Francis s unembellished example or will bring back traditional papal trappings like flashes of red