The Red Shoes

There's a rather striking photo of the Pope and his papal red shoes on the front of the Church Times today. The previous Pope abandoned such things for Polish made brown shoes, but Benedict has brought them back. Apparently they symbolise the blood of the martyrs, but I suspect it's a piece of imagery that has been less effective since they made The Wizard of Oz. Given all the vitriol in the media surrounding his visit, it's just as well he doesn't have red gloves... you can write the headlines.