With a tape measure around his neck and thimble on his finger, Raniero Mancinelli slides a needle into a black cassock with red piping destined for a Catholic cardinal.
"It takes two or three days to make an outfit: taking the measurements, cutting it out, and putting it all together," according to the 86-year-old Italian, one of the last ecclesiastical tailors in Rome.
Mancinelli has been working flat out in his historic shop on the Borgo Pio, a stone's throw from the Vatican, ahead of a ceremony this weekend for 21 new cardinals.
A third of those being elevated by Pope Francis have placed orders with the tailor.
"They trust me and I know what I have to do, depending on where they live, the climate, their financial means," said Mancinelli.
This story is from the December 04, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
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This story is from the December 04, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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