The Devil Wears Prada and the Pope Wears Bling

Now that Pope Benedict XVI has officially resigned, the question on everyone's mind is: so what will he be wearing?

For starters, the emeritus pope will not be donning the One Ring - er, I mean his fancy Ring of the Fisherman.  This ring is a typical part of pope-wear, featuring the image of Saint Peter fishing as he was a fisherman by trade.  The ring varies from pope to pope.  At one point, Pope Pius XI even had a cameo of himself on his ring.  Now that's downright ballsy.  Apparently popes like to keep their rings blinging with the times.  Each pope gets a ring cast in gold during his inauguration with his chosen Latin name which is placed on the third finger of the pope's hand as evidenced by the picture of Pope Benedict.  

                                                  (Image from New York Daily News)

Now that the pope has given up his ring, he will not be seeing it any time soon as it will be destroyed by the special papal silver hammer, symbolizing the end of his papacy (it is also destroyed to prevent anyone else from using it as a seal).  We can expect a new ring will be forged in the flames of Mount Doom for the new pope, once he has been elected (sorry - I'm a sucker for Lord of the Rings).

So the emeritus pope will not be wearing his ring, but what he will be sporting are his lovely white robes.  Why white?  The tradition started when Pope Pius V, who was a Dominican, decided to continue wearing his white garb, rather than the red robes which until his time, had been worn by Catholic popes as well as the cardinals. 

What will be missing from the outfit, will be His Holiness's red papal shoes.  Personally, I loved the red shoes so I'm sorry to see them go.  However, they are being replaced by a pair of brown loafers made by Mexican cobblers and given to him in Mexico in 2012.  As a Mexican, I can't help but find this highly endearing.

 Let's face it - the ins and outs of papal-wear are highly intricate and kind of amusing. 

Pope Benedict's Last Day as Pope...

I see today as the perfect day to start this blog.  Today is the final day that Pope Benedict XVI, the 265th pope, will be pope. For the first time in nearly 600 years, a pope has resigned.  The last time such a momentous occasion occurred was when Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415 along with Benedict XIII who simultaneously resigned in order to allow for the election of a new Pope, thus ending the Western Schism.  The resignation of the pope presents a unique opportunity for the Catholic Church.  In an ever evolving world full of skeptics, new religions, and Catholics who are less than satisfied with the current establishment, what kind of leader will the cardinals elect?

This is a weighty matter which I will tackle tomorrow.  For now, I wish to thank Pope Benedict for being able to say that he is not able to carry on his duties and needs to step down.  I wish him a peaceful time at Castel Gandolfo while he is there, until he permanently retires to Mater Ecclesiae, a former monastery inside the Vatican.

Introduction

I have been wanting to start a blog regarding religion for awhile now but life has gotten in the way.  Also, writing a blog on religion is a little intimidating. I tend to see religion as something very private.  Religion is such a sensitive subject - one that evokes strong emotions in most people.  It can turn a perfectly pleasant family dinner into a near-boxing match.  I know some of my friends will read this blog and think: I thought she was a more logical thinker, while others will think: she's such a heretic.  I believe in God but I also believe in evolution - and I don't think believing in one has to exclude the other.  I am both the Irish-American Mexican Catholic as well as a progressive thinker.  Last year I attended different religious services and lectures and also went to the Reason Rally.  I do not feel I have to fit into some predetermined religious box.  I am who I am.       

Over the next few months I intend to read (or re-read as the case may be) all the major religious works.  Too often I hear people quoting the Bible to suit their own purposes while omitting many other passages which would clearly challenge their assumptions.  I want to be able to feel truly informed so I am looking for as many articles and books that I can get my hands on.  I also am reaching out to my friends and asking them to discuss their religion with me (to the extent that they are comfortable) and attend any meetings, religious services to which I am invited.  This will be a collection of my thoughts regarding my interactions, readings, and research around all religion-related topics.  There will be no topic that is taboo and if anyone has any suggestions for a religion to explore, an article to read, or any other ideas, I more than welcome them.  Thank you and happy reading!