Pope Benedict on Wednesday wore an old Saturno hat in St. Peter's Square, Vatican during his weekly audience with the public. The Holy Father surprised tens of thousands of people who gathered at the square by wearing an odd, "wide-brimmed" red hat while on his "pope mobile."

The hat is commonly known in Italian as a "saturno" due to its resemblance of the planet Saturn.

Pope John Paul II had also used the saturno on a few occasions during hot weather.

The 70-year-old pontiff had worn unusual hats in public. In December of 2005, the Pope wore a red velvet cap lined with white fur to protect him against the winter's cold.

That particular hat, known as a "camauro," was traditionally worn by popes in the medieval period during the winter seasons. It can be seen in several paintings of the time.