the final countdown

Pope Benedict XVI to Keep Most of His Holy Outfit, Name

Pope Benedict XVI, flanked by cardinal Agostino Vallini, arrives at the Paul VI Hall for a meeting with parish priests of Rome's diocese on February 14, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff will hold his last weekly public audience on February 27 at St Peter's Square after announcing his resignation earlier this week.
Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI’s last days atop the Catholic Church are upon us, and they’re just now sorting out the exact details of his departure:

1. He will still be going by Benedict XVI, not reverting to Josef Ratzinger. (God-given name gets complicated in this case.) “His Holiness” still applies, and he’ll be known officially as “pope emeritus.”

2. The all-white threads stay, but the signature handmade red leather loafers (widely mistaken for Prada) will be swapped for handmade brown shoes from Mexico.

3. The one-of-a-kind “ring of the fisherman” bearing his personal seal, as previously discussed, must be surrendered.

The biggest adjustment, it seems, will be relearning to accessorize.

Pope Benedict XVI to Lose Red Leather Loafers