A tale of two Papal skullcaps

MANILA – It’s a story worth telling your children.

In January 2015, you had the rare chance of exchanging a zucchetto or ecclesiastical skullcap with Pope Francis, who was visiting the Philippines for the first time. You gave your skullcap – one that you acquired from a different shop – and the Pope graciously gave you his. Such is your fortune for now owning a most revered item from the Holy Father.

Marc Erik Lim, an officer of Sky Logistics that was the ground handler for Philippine Airlines, was the one man who was seen on camera making the swap with Pope Francis. The exchange happened at Villamor Airbase in Manila when Pope Francis returned from his day visit to Leyte.

But what people don’t know is that there were actually two confirmed zucchetto exchanges, with the second one happening away from the cameras. This time it was Analyn Castro, the general manager of Sky Logistics and the supervisor of Marc Lim, who had that one chance to swap her skullcap with that of His Holiness.

The long journey of the skullcaps

This swapping of headgear with the leader of the world’s Catholic faith is a well-known practice among the prelate, who gave away their skullcap to anyone as long as it is replaced with a new one. It was said to have been started by Pope Pius XII who headed the Vatican from 1939 to 1958. However, neither Lim nor Castro had knowledge of this custom.

It was a fateful conversation with a Filipino-Canadian priest named Gary Lee during a plane ride when Lim found out about the zucchetto exchange. He later told his boss about the tradition and so they hatched a plan to make a swap when the Pope arrives.

It really wasn’t easy as it sounded. The colleagues recollected on the difficulties of getting hold of skullcaps before the Pope’s visit, which was just about a few weeks away. According to the two, they had especially ordered two zucchettos from a shop in Rome, Italy. The fact that it was coming from such a faraway place, as well as the rush fee and tax (yes, they paid proper customs fees), the overall cost of the items they ordered was, as they described it, sizeable.

Castro admitted she almost backed out from buying the cap. "Nag-effort talaga to go to the Internet, make the order, tapos nu'ng malapit na sabi ko, 'wala pa, Diyos ko dasal tayo sa lahat ng simbahan.'"
It was cutting it close but fortune was on their side as the items arrived in time for the Pope’s visit.

The exchange

Lim, in an earlier interview with ABS-CBN News, shared how he lined up to meet the Holy Father on the grounds of Villamor Air Base just to have a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with him. With that, he was able to personally touch the Pope and exchange his specially delivered skull cap with him.

Castro’s experience was nothing short of a miracle. Having missed the first opportunity to exchange her skullcap alongside Lim’s, she also missed the chance to meet the Pope who was already aboard the Philippine Airlines aircraft that would bring him to Ciampino, Italy on his way back to the Vatican.

Again, fortune smiled upon her. Despite not being on that flight, Castro’s skullcap was brought in by the caterer for the flight, who made the swap in her behalf.

Aboard the Philippine Airlines aircraft, Castro's skull cap was finally exchanged with Pope Francis'.
"It was one of the passengers, 'yung manager, Dang Rayos of catering. She was with the Pope on that particular flight. I think the cabin crew saw it na nagkaroon ng transfer of zucchetto."

Unlike Lim's momentous time with the Pope, Castro's skull cap exchange was not documented.

A story – and an item to share

Both Lim and Castro have had different stories to tell about their new sacred items. While Lim hoped it would be a family heirloom, he said he is willing to share his skullcap to the Church for preservation if need be.

"If the Church wants it, I'm willing to share.... Sino ba ako para ipagdamot [ito]?" Lim said.

Castro also shared the same statement. However, she has already been doing her part of sharing the said skullcap as she lends it to people who also want to be part of the experience of holding a sacred item.

"'Pag may humiram kasi, sabi ko 'o sige, 'wag lang as much as possible.’ You don't touch it' kasi naka-plastic siya," Castro said.

For Lim, a year after his encounter with the Pope, that chance left him exhilarated and faithful. "He left me a lifelong inspiration not just to myself but to millions of Filipinos."

"[I have] faith in my house right now, I have the presence of the Pope," Castro concluded.
Indeed, these two have stories such a tale to tell.