More Hats!

Yes, that is in fact a hat. It's called a galero (plural: galeri), which used to be awarded to new Cardinals in consistory by the Pope. The first ones were awarded byPope Innocent IV in 1245. The practice was discontinued in 1969, but some Cardinals continue to obtain galeri privately. Why?

When a Cardinal dies, his galero is suspended above his tomb and left there until it turns to dust - a reminder of how earthly glory is temporary.

There are a few cathedrals in the United States where you can see a galero hung from the ceiling over the tomb of a Cardinal, or galeri over the tombs of several. The nearest one is the Cathedral Basillica of Saint Louis. One of the Cardinals entombed there is John J. Glennon who was Archbishop of the the St. Louis diocese from 1903 until he died in 1946. He "received the red hat" on February 22, 1946. On the way home, he took a detour to his native Ireland - and died.

Other cathedrals to see suspended galeri include St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, and the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, DC.