What you need to know about the Pope’s wardrobe

MANILA, Philippines – For Pope Francis’ first presentation at the Balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he donned a  plain papal white with no elaborate vestment but the humble iron cross he had since he was anointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. From that moment on, people had a tip-off that the traditional clothing worn by his predecessors will not be seen for a long time.

Pope Francis chooses a more humble and simpler style. This is so he could uphold what he truly desires, “to see a Church that is poor and is for the poor.”

Unlike previous Popes, Pope Francis chooses black shoes instead of the ancient practice of wearing red shoes. His ruby-red shoes were custom-made by Antonio Arellano, his personal cobbler at Gammarelli and another pair by Adriano Stefanelli.

Pope Francis has also chosen a humble papal ring in silver rather than gold with a design from the past instead of having one created specifically for him. He chose a ring designed by Italian sculptor Enrico Manfrini for Pope Paul VI.

In a nutshell, the pope’s wardrobe depicts 13th-century St. Francis of Assisi, who refused to live lavishly but chose to live with minimalism.

Traditionally, here are some wardrobe pieces that can be seen worn by the Pope. Most of these have been restored and worn day-by-day by Pope Benedict XVI during his term:

[Slideshow will load below]