The original crosier, the shepherd staff, which is the most senior ecclesiastical insignia of the Bishop, representing his pastoral authority of the Universal Church, had its use discontinued in the 11th Century.

The crosier can in fact be traced all the way back to the Apostles, and has been used in its traditional form, with the ornamental crook, from the time of Pope Celestine 1 (r.422 – 432).

Pope Paul VI (1963 – 1978), was the Pope for whom this modern cross was created, and was used during the last years of his life. The Papal Staff that the world is used to seeing The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI (2005 – incumbent), with, and before him, Pope John Paul II (1978 – 2005), is called the Papal Crucifix, and was designed by the Italian artist Lello Scorzelli, a 20th Century artist, 1921 - 1997. The Papal Crucifix is richly detailed, and has been copied through to the Papal Crucifixes that are attached to the Rosaries that we offer for sale on the Le Rule Originals website. These crucifixes show the graining of the wood, and the detail of the rope that binds the two logs together, with the Corpus Christi hanging limply, giving a real sense of the final moments of Jesus Christ. There are the initials INRI - Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum - meaning (Jesus (the) Nazarine, King of the Jews).

The Papal Staff, with which we are used to seeing the Pope carry, is majestic in size, being approximately 188cm (6.2 feet) tall, and has become the most recognisable symbol associated with the modern Papacy.