In June 1896, Pope Leo XIII named Father John Joseph Jessing a domestic prelate with the title monsignor. This red velvet biretta (a square, three-ridged hat) is one of the special garments that Jessing wore after receiving the title. He wore the biretta for liturgical celebrations and ceremonies. It measures 7.5 by 7.5 inches (19.05 by 19.05 cm).

Jessing (1836-1899) was born in Muenster, Germany. In 1867, Jessing came to the United States to study for the priesthood. He was ordained at St. Patrick Pro Cathedral in Columbus by Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans in 1870. Father Jessing's first assignment was at Sacred Heart Church in Pomeroy, Ohio. There he started a German-language paper The Ohio in 1873. The title was changed to the Ohio Waisenfreund (Ohio Orphans' Friend) in 1874. The following year, Jessing used proceeds from the paper to open an orphan asylum. In 1877, Jessing moved the newspaper and orphan asylum to Columbus. He started various trade opportunities for the orphans, including the Josephinum Church Furniture Company. In 1888 he started the Collegium Josephinum to train young men for the priesthood and to minister primarily to German speaking immigrants. It received pontifical status in 1892 and became known as Pontifical College Josephinum. It is the only pontifical seminary outside of Italy that is overseen by the Vatican through the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, D.C. Jessing witnessed the first class being ordained June 1899, five months before he died.