My favorite blogger in the overstuffed niche of accessories and religious relics (because who doesn’t love another odd niche blogger, where God and Gucci meet anyone?) Blingdom of God has some interesting notes on Cardinal Ratzinger errr, ummmm, His Holiness Pope Benedict and his Italian designer fashion fetish.
And while I love a guy who wears red Prada loafers 
and Blingdom of God does an excellent breakdown of what all of Pope Benedict’s various garb is supposed to represent I admit I am still troubled by one element of the Pope’s fashion icon status.
The actual Saint Benedict is the one dude who would frown on all of this materialism the most Hello? Saint Benedict wrote The Rules The guy literally wrote the book on monasticism. 
Now I read The Rules and they are a pretty comprehensive take on a lifestyle that I can assure you doesn’t include Prada. In fact the modern The Rules for women, often regarded as a bulwark of for the lifestyle of withholding women don’t hold a candle to Saint Benedict. So Mr. Pope perhaps you should have thought out your Pop name a little harder if you planned on having a shopping problem ok? Saint Benedict wouldn’t be amused.
Homophobic Pope Benedict, speaking out on a topic that Italy’s incoming centre-left government will likely have to confront, on Thursday condemned gay marriage and legal recognition of unwed couples…
A lot of people certainly needs to study history more. The pope is simply continuing a 2500 year Roman tradition, yes, older than the Church. John Paul II was probably the first one to break this several thousand year tradition of wearing red shoes eventhough during his last years he wore the red shoes again. The custom of wearing red shoes was acquired and continued from the Roman senators and emperors. To give you an idea, during the existence of the Byzantine Empire, only the Pope, the Emperor and Emperess wore red shoes.
What you are seeing is nothing new. In fact it is an ancient custom/tradition.
For your information.