VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict has decided what he will wear once he is no longer pope: a simple white cassock and brown shoes given to him in León, Mexico.
“The city of Leon is known for beautiful shoes and very comfortable shoes. And when the Pope was asked what he wanted to wear, he said, ‘I want the shoes from León in Mexico,’” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told journalists Feb. 26.
“It will no longer be the red shoes that you have seen him wear. He has chosen to keep brown shoes that were given to him on his recent trip,” he said.
As for his apparel, the pope emeritus will wear a simple white cassock without the mozzetta (the short cape that covers his shoulders).
His outfit will be complemented by the simple monastery he will be living in, starting around May.
He will replace the ring worn by popes with an episcopal ring from his time as Cardinal Ratzinger. Benedict’s ring and seal will be broken at a particular moment determined by the College of Cardinals and its chamberlain, in accordance with the sede vacante norms.
The main news that Father Lombardi announced at the Feb. 26 press conference was what Pope Benedict will be called after he resigns.
He will have three titles: His Holiness Benedict XVI, pope emeritus or Roman pontiff emeritus.
The formal end of his ministry will occur Thursday at 8pm local time.
Father Lombardi reiterated that it is important to note “the Pope is in a spirit of prayer as he brings the pontificate to a close.”
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I will miss the red shoes!
Our sweet Papa! May God grant him a peaceful, blessed retirement in which to pray, study, and write more of his wonderful books. :-)
Love my shoes from Leon, GTO….....Pope Benedict XVI is should a holy man….God bless him and us.
If he wants a quiet life,he should not be wearing white as he would be standing out. He would be better off in a black cassock with red piping,or Fransican ‘work’blue garment with brown scapular, so that he will blend in and perhaps be more comfortable. At least with the Fransican garment (which has a hood) he can cover up and not be recognized and be left alone.
@Ann
“If he wants a quiet life,he should not be wearing white as he would be standing out.”
...he’ll be in a cloister. He could wear a clown nose and no one would know. I would not be surprised that the next time we hear about Benedict, it will be because he has passed away. His resignation is an act of humility, and he won’t be contradicting that act by remaining in the public light.
I have heard that only the Roman emperor could wear red shoes. At some point (perhaps in the Donation of Constantine) the emperor gave the Pope permission to wear red shoes as a sign of his authority. Since Benedict will no longer be Pope, he can not wear the red shoes. Please comment on this.
He should be left alone to wear what he deems appropriate. I doubt he will be seen in public anyway since he has said he will remain hidden from the world in prayer. It seems pretty clear he is going to now lively a contemplative life in prayer and study for his few remaining years. He has done the Church a great service by his example.
Ann, I don’t think he intends to be out and about; he said he was going up the mountain to pray. If so, noticeability is not an issue. Rather, I fear we may not see him again in this life. As he prays for us, we must pray for him.
There are a lot of happy people in Mexico’s shoe capital. Lots of generations have been making shoes in Leon, now threatened with cheap (in more ways than one) shoes from China. That he went with the shoes given to him by those people is a good thing.
Personally, I think he should keep the red shoes-different shade, style…different from that of a pope’s. He could go around in slippers or even barefoot. He can walk around all day in pajamas if he wanted to. At least he’s got his cats back!
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