more interesting facts about the pastoral staff

the pope does not use a crozier (a bishop's staff surmounted by a crook) because according to tradition, st. peter gave away his crozier to someone to be used to cure somebody. i forgot where but there's a parish claiming they have st. peter's crozier. so the popes since then has not used the crozier but wielded a staff surrmounted by a cross. actually, the pope's have only used the pastoral staff since recent centuries.

pope john paul II's staff was made a lightweight aluminum copy for his use in his later years when he was too weak to carry the original scorzelli. i think the lightweight copy is the one touring the united states as part of a papal exhibit while the original rests in the sacristry in rome.

i'm not sure where i heard but the scorzelli is supposed to have a relic of the true cross in it.