medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Ultimately papal red shoes are based upon imperial red shoes. The
imperial "purple" belonged to the emperors long before the successors of
Peter the Fisherman jumped on the band wagon. While the _Donation of
Constantine_ does not specify purple slippers among the privileges the
emperor bestows upon the pope (as well as others to the Lateran
basilica), these may have been understood; similarly, they may be
implied when the _Dictatus Papae_ of Gregory VII, perhaps inspired by
the _Donation_, declares in point 8, "That he [the pope] alone may use
the imperial insignia."
The implicit syllogism here is that if:
Imperial regalia includes red slippers;
And Popes are entitled to imperial regalia;
Then, Popes are entitled to red slippers.
Hence part of the answer to the query about "the first documented ...
Pope wearing red shoes" may lie in imperial iconography and ceremonials.
--John Howe, Texas Tech
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