Let us start with a mystery. This Hanukkah menorah is one of the greatest mysteries in our collection since very little is known about it. After comparing it to other menorahs in the collection, it is safe to say it is Italian, and from the 17th century. What makes this menorah to so very interesting is the fact that it is decorated with none other then the symbol of... The Pope.

 

Above the two angles that sit at the top of the menorah, we can see the keys given to Peter by Jesus, and the Papal Triple Crown.  

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Why and how this catholic symbol ended up on a Hanukkah menorah is unclear. No doubt this lamp was made of a pre-existing object that was converted into a menorah by adding the oil basins. We may only imagine what message was conveyed by the paring of the pope's symbol with the symbolic light of Hanukkah.