Blood and Leather

Why have most popes, (although not our present Holy Father,) over the past five centuries worn red shoes?

It represents the Blood of the Martyrs, on which we all, but especially those who dedicate their entire lives to following Christ, and indeed, function for us liturgically as alter Christus, stand.

Many people who should know better, and many people whose job it is to go to the trouble of knowing it somehow miss this fact.

Or pretend to miss it so that they can snark dishonestly.

BenedictGal, whose posts on MusicaSacra I have enjoyed immensely, but whose own blog was unknown to me until now has an excellent post
.