Don't Step on my Red Pope Shoes

Lots of discussion about the red shoes today.

Steppin' Out

The blogger at Cnytr really digs them, and has a few posts

Romanitas wonders if Benedict is undoing a change

Curt Jester just hopes he doesn't click them three times

Here's a thread at the CA forum on the previous Pope and red shoes.

Gee. That was important!

Comments

[Jason]

Red and Gold?

We need to get a fashion eye for the Catholic guy crew established at the Holy See.

[benny-fan]

From the New York Times article about the Pope's vestments, when a reporter expressed surprise at the red shoes:

"The pope is king, and the king can wear whatever shoes he likes," one of the Gammarelli tailors shouted out before tucking back into a piece of fabric.
----------

I agree -- you wear whatever shoes you like, Pope Benedict!!

I for one think the shoes are a nice highlight to the white and gold vestments. Very natty and fashion-forward.

[Rod Dreher]

I'm thinking of that Elvis Costello song, "The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes."

I love this Pope!

[Radactrice]

I suppose one could say it takes a real man to bright red shoes.

[Radactrice]

wear bright red shoes. Sorry.

[dave]

I like the photos of Pope Benedict in his new shoes. Does anyone know if there is an interent site that has high quality/resolution photos of the new Pope that one could print out on the color printer?

[ambrose]

I think they are Gucci....I see a major run on Red Gucci loafers....

[Therese]

Much has been made of Pope Benedict wearing the red shoes and Pope John Paul II deciding not to wear them. Well Pople John Paul II obviously wore them some time (contrary to "factual" media reports) as there is a pair of red shoes that John Paul II wore at the John Paul II center in DC (I have a photo to prove it!)

[David Kubiak]

Occasionally my prelatial vesture hobby proves useful in these fora.

The Cnytr blogger misinterprets the evidence he quite intelligently cites. Traditionally the Pope had two sorts of footwear. The first is well illustrated by the red velvet slippers embroidered with a gold cross of Pius VII that are on the site. There are many pictures of Pius XII and John XXIII wearing them while they are dressed in daily 'abito piano'. I imagine they were worn for the Pope's private Low Masses as well. When the Pope celebrated pontifically he assumed at his throne the buskins and the pontifical sandals, which are not the same things as the red velevet slippers. They were liturgical footwear (the 'sandalia' or 'compagi' of the rubrics), and all prelates were supposed to wear them at Pontifical Masses, although in practice I think the custom had widely died out even before the destructive reforms after the Council. These sandals were tied with silk ribbons, and each grade of prelate had specific directions for the color and placement of the decoration. The color of the sandals themselves matched the liturgical color of the Mass, except that black was never worn.

I can't say I ever noticed what Pope Paul wore after his destructive legislation, but I imagine some change happened when he started to travel, as Popes never did, and those velvet slippers would not exactly wear well outdoors.

So the type of red shoe, clearly leather, that the late Pope in some pictures and now Papa Ratzinger are seen wearing are not in the strict sense traditional, but I think they are surely an example of organic development, when Popes are going to wear down the heel of a shoe as they never did in times past.

I think people are right who are keeping their eyes out for how the Pope appears in various contexts as they occur. Although I was not thrilled with the "Inaugural" Mass, I did notice that the height of the stairs leading to the papal throne was distinctly greater than it had been since Pope Paul threw everything out. Now if only the Holy Father would get rid of Mons. Marini cheekily sitting next to him and restore the Cardinal Deacons who for over a thousand years have attended the Pope at his Pontifical Masses, that would be a major step forward (backward actually, but you take my point).

Obviously the tiara is out of the question, and I'm not holding my breath for the return of the falda either, but will the Pope appear in Roman vestments, as he did many times when he celebrated in the old rite as a cardinal? If he does, the fanon would seem to be the natural accompaniment, and the tunicles of course, as can be seen ib the wonderful picture from Santa Cecilia of the late Pope posted on the Holy Whapping site.

But what I would like to see more than any bit of vesture I think, is a posture that was so common at various pre-Vatican II ceremonies: the Pope and the cardinals, other clergy, and laity kneeling in prayer facing the same direction. This position has tremendous power as showing the Church led by Christ's Vicar in common prayer to God. Was there ever a time in public when the late Pope did not dominate the ceremony by facing the people attending it? As I have said before, in a way the new papal ceremonies serve to exaggerate the centrality of the Pope rather than in any way diminish it.

So I will be very interested in what develops on the papal fashion scene, somewhat nervously, however, since as the Holy Father has said, his reign is not likely to be long, and the next generation of cardinals will have completely lost whatever vague memories they might have had about the traditional importance of these things. I recall reading of Pius X that after his election he expressed the desire that nothing handed down by holy tradition in the Coronation ceremony should be omitted. Dear Mons. Dante, please use all the influence you have in Heaven on these issues!

[David Kubiak]

A postscript to my previous comments.

I would especially hope that Pope Benedict wears the red tabarro and papal velvet hat with the gold strings that the late Holy Father used to be seen in regularly at the start of his pontificate. There is great footage of him riding in pouring down rain when he puts the hat on and pulls down the ends, giving rather the impression of a college student with a baseball cap on backwards.

The other item I would very much like to see return is the velvet mozzetta trimmed in ermine, which was worn in winter. (Pope John actually revived an old custom of a white ermine-trimmed mozzetta that had been worn in one of the Octaves. And he loved wearing the camauro, which I felt so happy that they put on him when they brought his body up for veneration by the faithful.)

Technically all fur trim has been abolished in prelatial vesture, but so has the scarlet tabarro for cardinals, which there are several pictures of Cardinal Ratzinger wearing as Archbishop of Munich.
In this instance the Holy Father should take some advice from an infamous fellow countryman: when it comes to what you wear, Your Holiness, "Pecca fortiter."

[David Kubiak]

I'm wearing out my welcome, but a final remark.

Something has to be done about that horrible rochet the Pope was wearing on the balcony -- although I would hardly dignify it by the name. The heavy starched linen puffed him out to the point that he looked like he was going to burst a button on his mozzetta. Lace actually serves a useful purpose in the rochet.

[LA Catholic]

Are you KIDDING me?

[Radactrice]

I did notice that the late Pope John Paul wore white ski boots, not bright red ones.
Maybe I'm missing something, but what's the big deal about shoes? Red, white, pink, purple, orange, ribboned, tasseled, tied. Undoubtedly Jesus and the apostles wore sandals and the right color of footgear probably wasn't really high on their list of priorities. If the Pope wants to wear red shoes with diamonds on the toes, that's fine, but in the end, who care?

[David Kubiak]

To Radactrice:

Well, obviously the iconoclasts at the Council didn't care, and unfortunately Pope Paul VI was one of them. But there is detailed evidence in this radically incarnational Church of ours that people were concerned passionately about these things as far back as the early part of the first millenium. So if we start with Constantine and proceed to Vatican II, I think that the bulk of Catholic history rather favors those of us who did and do care. I hope the new Pope turns out to be a member of our antiquarian team.

[Alan K. Henderson]

There's no place like Rome (click)
There's no place like Rome (click)
There's no place like Rome (click)

[Radactrice]

If red shoes and ermine trim have a salvific component that I've somehow missed, then by all means bring out the red dye and shoot those little weasels. But I just don't see why the color of the pope's shoes or the fur on his velvet robes has anything to do with the Gospel message. I can't envision Jesus saying, "You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church...but only as long as you are wearing red shoes."
And before anyone attacks me, I honestly don't care what color shoes the pope wears. If it makes people feel holier or more spiritual if he wears red Gucci slippers, then by all means, may he wear red Gucci slippers to the end of time.

[Nancy]

Well, Radactrice, unless you're suggesting that the Pope go barefoot in all weathers (why? Jesus didn't) then it follows that he has to wear shoes, and it follows from that they have to be some color or other.

Red shoes are no holier than any other kind of shoes, but you have to admit that they look very snazzy with that outfit.

[Kevin Miller]

Well, obviously the iconoclasts at the Council didn't care, and unfortunately Pope Paul VI was one of them.

Please. Iconoclasm was a heresy, and it was - and remains - a very serious danger to the faith. But this stuff about the pope's shoes has nothing to do with icons, whatever good reasons there may or may not be for a given style of footwear.

[Kevin Miller]

Let's try that link again.

[Maureen]

Smile a little, Radactrice! G.K. Chesterton would be right here chatting about these things with us. Now there was a man who liked a good cloak and floppy hat. ;)

Given that very few professions today have the fun of wearing distinctive clothing, I think we are so interested in this because we don't get to wear such nifty clothes ourselves. Frex, I work in the Yellow Pages industry. How cool would it be if I got to wear a yellow hat or yellow shoes? Especially if the symbolism was 2000 years old? Or older... remember, a lot of liturgical garb comes down from the priestly Jewish side.

So, no, these are not essential matters of faith and morals. But that doesn't mean they're not interesting and beloved parts of our church's traditions. Even trivia has its place in the Kingdom and the ingenious mind of God.

[Kathleen]

Curt Jester!!! Now that was a great laugh.
Especially the bit about Sister Joan... Ha, ha, ha and Toto Tuus.

Who says that Catholics are no fun?

[WRY]

An aside: who are those "minders" who always accompany the pope? Are they always the same ones? Are they really undercover cops heavily armed? Seriously. Who are they? What are their names? How do they get to be aides or whatever they are? Anybody know?

[WRY]

Dave K: Do you know of a link somewhere that would illustrate all these clothing articles with labels or pointers or something?

[Gerard E.]

"Uh, Your Holiness...you'll need to sign the papers to order special polish tomorrow...."

[carrie ryckman]

I second WRY's request. I have no idea what a rochet and mozzetta are. Call me clueless.

[Liam]

The historical colors of the Holy See are actually gold and red (a festal variation on white and red); it is only in the post-Napoleonic age that this was switched to white and yellow/gold.

[Cornelius AMDG]

This site has pictures of some, but not all, of the papal vestments mentioned above.

[Nancy]

When guys set themselves out to create splendid clothing for themselves, they certainly know how to do it.

Examples:

- a military uniform with plenty of medals on it
- a religious habit, espcially the Discalced Carmelites, who wear white cloaks and look like crusaders
- tuxedos
- Scottish kilts, with all the extras, including the knife at the calf
- dark dark blue three-piece pinstripe suit, which makes even portly men look like World Leaders
- The Pope's outfit in this picture, expecially with the shoes.

[Sandra Miesel]

The ctalogue of the exhibition ST. PETER AND THE VATICAN has lots of pictures of papal vesture and accessories from times past, including embroidered slippers worn by Popes Paul VI and John XXIII. (The later had large feet.) THE CHURCH VISIBLE by James-Charles Noonan has detailed verbal descriptions of correct clothing for all ecclesiastical dignitaries under the present rules. For their history, see Herbert Norris, VESTMENTS AND VESTURE.
The Pope's garments are his uniform. They signal his office as distinct from his person.
And by the way, Kevin, the dictionary gives a secondary definition of "iconoclasm" as "the attacking or ridiculing of traditional or venerated institutions or ideas." In that sense, post V II changes were highly iconoclastic.

[Peggy]

They do look tight and uncomfortable, I must say. [so I did!]..and before Memorial Day? Gasp!

[Lily]

David, What do you mean about the infamous fellow countryman of Benedict and "Pecca Fortiter" or "sin without fear" in reference to his clothing? Just curious.
I do like the meaning of clothing as it expresses the office of the wearer.

[Liam]

"Pecca fortiter!" ("Sin boldly!" is a good if not literal translation) is a famous admonishment from Martin Luther to trust in the infinite mercy of God.

[Will]

Will we now have a movie about "The Tall Whitehaired Man With Two Red Shoes"?

[Radactrice]

True, Nance, the pope has to wear shoes of some color. As I said before, red shoes, blue shoes, white shoes, puce shoes--I don't care what color shoes the Pope wears. And I assume that when he is taking a walk around the Vatican gardens, for instance, he would wear something more comfortable than these new red shoes.
But despite the old saying, clothes don't make the man (or the woman). I'm am admirer of Manolo Blahnik heels (even if I don't own any because they cost way too much) and I have a great fondness for traditional nuns' habits, but that doesn't mean the Sex and City gals were somehow role models because they wore designer shoes or that Mother Teresa was not holy because she abandoned her traditional habit to wear a sari (which then became a habit itself.)
I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI)insisted on wearing red shoes at all times.
Symbols and traditions are important (just ask any child who has an instinctive need to have things done the same way.) But they aren't the essense of faith. If a pope in red Guccis or ruby red slippers or even blue suede shoes lives a Christ-like life, encourages people to be better than our natures would have us be, works for peace, prays for the souls in his care and carries the cross of being pope with dignity and holiness, then his shoes are a minor detail. If he doesn't do those things, then the color of his shoes doesn't matter a whit.

[David Kubiak]

"The Church Visible" is good for the general outlines, but it is full of errors large and small, and should not be thought of as definitive. The really good old manuals are fetching astronomical prices now; I was lucky to have acquired a few early on.

[Chris-2-4]

Okay, enough about the red shoes can anyone explain the doctrinal reasoning why the pope must walk down the steps toe-heel but those accompanying him must walk down the steps Heel-Toe as evidenced in the picture above?

Yeah that's pretty much what I think about the whole need to analyze every bit of minutia.

[Radactrice]

Because, of course, the Pope must toe the line, but the rest must heel to his lead.

[Liam]

The Pope has a couple of cats. They obviously are the True Enforcers. The Pope may be Universal Pastor, but he is just staff to his cats, to be sure.

[Radactrice]

Chico scratched him at Christmas. Clearly Chico is not into blind obedience and station and rank, red shoes notwithstanding, means nothing to him.

[MaureenM]

And we complain about the lavender mafia?

[Radactrice]

I'd say this is probably a shoe-in for the cattiest thread.

[WRY]

You guys just don't get it. It's the new "papal alert" system at the Vatican. Red shoes means the pontiff is feeling his oats and might just issue an infallible declaration any minute now when you're least expecting it. Orange shoes will be worn when the pontiff is simply feeling elevated and kinda ordinary magisterium -- maybe a doctrinal point or two, but not as though you'd better stay awake through his whole talk. He'll be wearing green shoes when he's out kissing babies and stuff - which comes in double handy since babies can get kind of messy.

[Radactrice]

Just another example of how the Vatican is combining the old with the new,WRY.

[melissa]

Heh, at the funeral Mass I clearly saw Abp. Marini jab Cardinal Ratzinger (as he was then) with his elbow when the Cardinal attempted to move out of his place.

And no, this is not essential to the faith. I'm just chatting with Mr. Kubiak.

[maura]

heh. Tom Ridge is Catholic & has a lot of time on his hands, right?

To: His Holiness Benedict XVI
From: Tom Ridge
Re: Suggested Papal Alert System

Red shoes--infallible declarations, excommunications.
Orange shoes--encyclicals, other statements of Church doctrine are binding and obligatory on all Catholics but which are not infallible. Pronouncements on denial of the sacraments, loss of one's license to teach theology, demotions of clergy.
Yellow shoes--homilies that do not announce doctrine; teachings on prudential mattes.
Green shoes--Kissing babies, blessing the faithful, waving from the popemobile.
Blue shoes--Napping, snacking, catblogging, watching TV.

I also see a potential for Ready.Gov parodies here, but I don't have the time or creativity.

[WRY]

Then there's the black shoes: getting ready for that super-secret meeting with the Illuminati and the Trialteral Commission.

Wait. No! Please. I didn't mean to tell! Really!

arrrrgggggghhhhh!

[Liam]

Sorry, but those Blue Suede Shoes are made for for the Rockin' Ratzi action figure!

[WRY]

Camouflage shoes: the Church Militant.

[Nancy]

We don't know that they're Guccis, and even if they are, they might have been donated. So everyone, put your calculators away.

We don't know that they're uncomfortable. Gotta ask the guy wearing them for that! They may feel soft as slippers for all we know.

All we do know is how cool they look! Notice how they pick up and emphasize the little bits of red on the vestments! Very sharp, Ben.

[Radactrice]

Nancy, it was reported that they are Gucci and came with the set of vestments from the Pope's tailor. They may be donated, especially if the other vestments are donated. On the other hand, making papal vestments hasn't traditionally been a donated enterprise.

[Charles A.]

Why are people under the impression that JPII did not wear red shoes? Every picture I've seen of him (where his feet are showing) the shoes are red.

[Radactrice]

JPII wore what is described as ox-blood red shoes and sometimes favorite brown slipons. I think it's because B16 is favoring ruby red that people are noticing them.

[Teresa]

Actually, I just saw on the official Vatican site under "travels" of JPII a photo of JPII walking in a green pasture, very serene and lovely until you scroll down and, YIKES!... he's wearing a pair of white Reeboks (or of the kind)! Alas, red leather shoes, while more fashionable, aren't sensible on hiking pontiffs.

[James]

Actually, JP2 did wear bright red leather shoes at the beginning of his reign, but later switched to more subdued hues. I've even seen an early photo of John Paul II wearing--wait for it--red SILK slippers (minus the crosses and other embroidery). John Paul the First wore the same type of slippers, as well as red suede shoes with gold trim. Paul VI was fond of red leather shoes with large buckles when travelling outside the Vatican. The traditional color for papal footwear has been red for centuries, however, and Benedict is merely following in the footsteps of his sartorially fabulous predecessors.

[James]

But...for whatever reason, Hollywood costume designers have utterly failed to notice the pope's red shoes. Whenever you see a pope portrayed in a movie--whether historical or fictional--he wears white shoes.

[Tony]

I agree with David, we through too much out with the Vatican II mandates. Without mentioning names, I know of one younger-aged monsignor who has and wears a mantelleta - and I'm not going to stop wearing it, either.

Tony

[Devoto]

I think the Pope's chief of protocol needs to get it together. Four months into his pontificate, the Holy Father has not still not been taught a trick the late John Paul had down on his first night: when you wear a mozetta, you cannot raise your arms straight up.

Pope Wojtyla:

http://extremecatholic.blogspot.com/images/pope-first.jpg

Pope Ratzinger:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050819/481/ofra14908191806

[sacerdos]

The red shoes used by the pope are not from Gucci, they are the usual shoes which anyone can buy at Gammarelli, but red. About €100.00 a pair, or €120.00 with large silver buckles...

[mickee]

Well, some of you have had your wish come true. The ermine trimmed mozzetta is back as is the camauro. It's nice to seem them both on the new pope.

[Ruth Gledhill]

Thank you everyone for your comments here, they were really helpful to us in writing our piece on the camauro in today's paper and to me in doing a blog on the camauro. Ruth
http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/

[a civello]

Go, Benny, Go!!

[Theresa]

I don't think it's really about the clothes. He's not here to be fashionable, he's here to lead the Catholic Church. Red shoes won't hurt that.

[Keith A Simpson]

Who cares what these silly old duffers wear?!

There are millions with barely enough to eat and this supposed Christ's Vicar on earth is poncing about in red shoes?

As a (fortunately) ex- Catholic I find all this stuff and crap about vestments, tat and haberdasher's knick-knacks shows just how empty these people are; very removed from their Lord and Master.

I find God in the flowers and the mountains the sea and the sky.
He is not, for me, in any church or temple or any hymn or prayer devised by man.
A pox on all '...isms'
Keith A. Simpson.

[shoe stretchers]

If you were going to buy a golf club, you wouldn't walk into a store and buy the first one you see, would you? Of course

not; especially if you want to improve your golf game! You'll want to hold the club, take some practice swings, hit some

balls if the store has a practice spot, and look at the price, of course. If you are considering buying running shoes,

you need to go through a similar process and take the time to find the perfect shoe.