mozzetta
A short cape covering the shoulders and buttoned in front, with a hood, which is worn by the pope, cardinals, bishops, and other senior clergy.
Benedict [XVI], the first pope to resign voluntarily in six centuries, will dress in a simple white cassock, forgoing the mozzetta, the elbow-length cape worn by some Catholic clergymen, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, told reporters at a news briefing.
Where it comes from
Borrowed from a merger of French mozzete (obsolete) (modern French mosette, mossette), and from its etymon Italian mozzetta; further etymology uncertain, possibly either: * from Italian mozzo (“cut off; shortened”, adjective) (from Vulgar Latin *mutius, from Latin mutilus (“mutilated”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *mewt- (“cut short”)); or * from Late Latin almucia (“hood or cape with a hood worn by clergy”) (further etymology unknown) + Italian -etta (feminine form of -etto (diminutive suffix)). The plural form mozzette is borrowed from Italian mozzette. Doublet of mosette.
Adapted from the Wiktionary entry mozzetta (CC BY-SA 4.0).