A hat-shaped symbol used as part of a Roman Catholic cardinal’s coat of arms has been misrepresented online as a UFO symbol to question whether the Vatican is ruled by aliens. A coat of arms of a cardinal, the pope’s highest advisors, includes the red galero, a wide-brimmed hat, with long tassels on either side. Yet online posts sharing an image of the coat of arms ask, “Is the Vatican ruled by aliens?” (here) and (here). Instead, a smaller red hat called a biretta is now given to newly installed cardinals, Father Richard Kunst, a priest who collects papal artifacts, explains on his webpage (here). The posts share a photo of a cardinal’s coat of arms, not a UFO symbol at the Vatican.

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Persons: “, Church Pope Paul VI, Father Richard Kunst, Read Organizations: Vatican Council, Church, Roman Catholic Church, Reuters