Papal Slippers

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Papal Slippers

The Papal Slippers are a historical vestment

Vestment

Vestments are liturgy garments and articles associated primarily with the Christianity religions, especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutheran Churches....
traditionally worn by the pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City. The current pope is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005 in Papal conclave, 2005....
. The papal slippers are a form of episcopal sandals

Episcopal sandals

The Episcopal sandals, also known as the pontifical sandals, are a Roman Catholic Pontifical vestment worn by bishops when celebrating liturgical functions according to the pre-Vatican II rubrics, for example a Tridentine Mass Solemn Pontifical Mass....
worn by bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordination or consecration member of the Clergy#Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight....
s. However, unlike the episcopal sandals, which change with the liturgical color, the papal slippers are always red

Red

Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625?740 Nanometer....
.

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Encyclopedia

The Papal Slippers are a historical vestment

Vestment

Pope

Episcopal sandals

Bishop

Red

Pope Pius V

Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the implementation of the Council of Trent, the Counterreformation and the standardisation of the liturgy....
, a Dominican

Dominican Order

The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France....
, continued wearing the white Dominican habit.

Elaborately embroidered, the papal slippers are made by hand with red satin

Satin

Satin is a cloth that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp -dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric....
, red silk

Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from Pupa#Cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity ....
, and gold thread

Yarn

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibers, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking....
, and the soles are made of leather

Leather

Leather is a material created through the tanning of rawhides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable, long-lasting and versatile natural material for various uses....
. The papal slippers feature a sewn cross

Cross

A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run diagonally, the design is technically termed a saltire....
of red rubies

Ruby

A ruby is a pink to blood-red gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium....
. Until the first half of the 20th century, it was customary for pilgrims having an audience with the pope to kneel down to kiss one of his slippers.

The pope traditionally wore the papal slippers inside the papal residence, while red leather papal shoes

Papal shoes

The Papal shoes are the red leather outdoor shoes worn by the Pope. They should not be confused with the indoor papal slippers or the Episcopal sandals, which are the liturgical footwear proper to all Latin Rite Bishop s....
were worn outdoors. Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and monarch of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978....
discontinued the use of the papal slippers. However, he did continue to wear the outdoor red papal shoes

Papal shoes

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II John Paul II is widely acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century. He has been Pope_John_Paul_II#Role_in_the_fall_of_Communism in bringing down communism in Eastern Europe, as well as significantly improving the Roman Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and A...
in favor of his favorite cordovan brown leather walking shoes made in his native Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
.

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI is the List of popes and reigning Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and, as such, monarch of the Vatican City....
has restored the tradition of the red outdoor papal shoes

Papal shoes

External links

article from the Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English language encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia Press....
(1912)

Papal Slippers

See also

External links