Marianne MedlinPope Benedict XVI walks in his signature red shoes during the Mass of canonization for seven new saints, including two from the U.S., Sts. Kateri Tekakwitha and Marianne Cope, on Oct. 21, 2012, in St. Peter’s Square.
Benedict’s choice of shoes stands out because his predecessor and successor — St. John Paul II and Pope Francis — opted for alternatives. But popes have walked in red for centuries.