Post date: Feb 26, 2013 7:26:40 PM
In retirement, Pope Benedict will lay aside the red "shoes of the fisherman" that have been part of his papal attire and wear brown loafers given to him by shoemakers during a trip to Mexico last year.
VATICAN CITY (FEBRUARY 26, 2013) (REUTERS) - Pope Benedict will keep the honorific title of "His Holiness" after he abdicates this week and will be known as "pope emeritus," the Vatican said on Tuesday (February 26).
As St. Peter's Square was readied for the Pope's final public appearance before he steps down, some further details of Benedict's existence once his pontificate ends were revealed."His Holiness Benedict XVI - that name will remain with him," Vatican spokesman FatherThomas Rosica told a news conference.
"Emeritus pope or pope emeritus or the Roman Pontiff emeritus. His Holiness Benedict XVI, pope emeritus or Supreme Pontiff emeritus, Roman Pontiff emeritus," he added, before giving details of what Benedict will wear in the future.
"He will wear a simple white cassock without the mozzetta, I think it is called, the little cape on top, a simple white cassock. A very important point are the shoes. They will no longer be the red shoes that you have seem him wear but he has chosen to keep brown shoes that were given to him on his recent trip to Mexico in Leon. The city of Leon is noted for beautiful shoes, very comfortable shoes. And when the Pope was asked what he wanted to wear he told he wanted the shoes from Leon in Mexico. So to our friends from Mexico, congratulations," Father Rosica said.
Benedict will on Thursday (February 28) become the first pope in some six centuries to resign instead of ruling for life.
Given the rarity of the occasion, Vatican officials have had to decide what he will be called, how he will dress and what will happen to the traditional Papal ring.
"The fisherman's ring, the beautiful ring that the Pope has worn throughout his pontificate, he will take off that ring and no longer use that," Father Rosica confirmed, adding that the papal ring of office will be destroyed according to Vatican tradition.
Benedict will make his final public appearance in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday (February 27) where some 50,000 people and a large number of international media are expected to gather.