Page "Cardinal (Catholicism)" Paragraph 87

When in choir dress, a Latin-rite cardinal wears scarlet garments — the blood-like red symbolizes a cardinal's willingness to die for his faith.

Excluding the rochet — which is always white — the scarlet garments include the cassock, mozzetta, and biretta ( over the usual scarlet zucchetto ).

The biretta of a cardinal is distinctive not merely for its scarlet color, but also for the fact that it does not have a pompon or tassel on the top as do the birettas of other prelates.

Until the 1460s, it was customary for cardinals to wear a violet or blue cape unless granted the privilege of wearing red when acting on papal business.

His normal-wear simar is black but has scarlet piping and a scarlet fascia ( sash-like belt ).

Occasionally, a cardinal wears a scarlet ferraiolo which is a cape worn over the shoulders, tied at the neck in a bow by narrow strips of cloth in the front, without any ' trim ' or piping on it.

It is because of the scarlet color of cardinals ' vesture that the bird of the same name has become known as such.