Is the cappa magna in danger of extinction? Pope Francis has made it clear in his letter to new cardinals that their role is not an “honour or decoration” and there should be no celebration which is contrary to the “evangelical spirit of austerity, sobriety and poverty”.The long, flowing train of several metres of watered red silk, often held up at the back by an altar server, made something of a comeback in recent years after falling into abeyance. The cappa magna – which literally means “great cape” and can also be donned by bishops – was famously worn by Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos in 2008 when he processed into Westminster Cathedral to say an old rite Mass. Other cardinals who have worn it in recent years include Raymon