ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Papal ferula

Okay kiddo, have you ever seen a wizard or a king holding a stick with some special designs on it? That's called a staff, and it's usually a symbol of their authority or power.

Well, the Pope is also a very important person in the Catholic Church, kind of like a boss or a leader. And he also has a special staff called a papal ferula.

It's a bit fancier and more elaborate than a regular staff, though. It's made of metal, usually gold, and has a lot of intricate designs and symbols carved into it. Some have jewels or other decorations too.

The papal ferula is used by the Pope during special religious ceremonies, like when he's blessing people or leading a procession. It's also sometimes used to indicate when the Pope is giving a formal pronouncement or decree, kind of like saying "this is really important, pay attention!"

So think of the papal ferula like the Pope's magic staff that shows everyone he's in charge and doing important things.