From Pope St, John Paul II to Pope Leo XIV, the Italian craftsman Adriano Stefanelli has left his mark on the history of the Vatican through a simple, everyday item which many of us may take for granted: shoes.
The shoemaker's relationship with the popes began at a very particular moment with John Paul II, and the craftsman can still vividly recall what that moment looked like.
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
The first time I made shoes for a Pope was for Pope Wojtyła. It came about somewhat by chance. During a Via Crucis in the Easter period, when he arrived at one of the stations, Pope Wojtyła suffered a collapse, a minor illness. I was deeply affected by that event, and I asked myself: what can I do to ease his suffering? And the answer was: if you know how to make a pair of shoes, make him a pair of shoes. And so it was done.
Despite the pressure of having the popes as clients, the craftsman emphasized that the quality of his work does not change, regardless of who the client is.
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
Let’s say the shoes are always the same: top-quality materials, with no difference at all.
Any differences between each pope's shoes lie in small details, which of course depend on each pope's preferences.
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
But the details can be very minimal. For example, Pope Wojtyła wanted them with a rubber midsole, whereas Pope Benedict wanted only leather. That is the only difference.
His latest work was naturally for our current pope, Leo XIV. But the initial set of papal shoes for the new pope, which were white with yellow trim, were declined.
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
I had initially made two pairs, delivered on August 29 of last year. I had made two very beautiful pairs, white in color, lined in yellow with yellow trimming. However, they were delivered during a private audience and were not accepted because they were white. He wanted them strictly black, so I set to work to make them again in black.
After Stefanelli made the requested change, he gifted the updated version to the Pope during a weekly audience.
While the pairs of shoes for each pontiff have perhaps included a certain style, there are also practical considerations, like comfort.
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
Pope Wojtyła’s were a model with an elastic insert on the instep, lined with sponge to make the shoe ultra-soft. Pope Benedict’s were a completely smooth loafer, red in color. Pope Francis had a symbolic pair, because they were orthopedic shoes; since I am not qualified to make orthopedic footwear, I made him a slipper with the pontifical coat of arms embroidered on the upper. For Pope Leo, I followed the same model as Pope Benedict’s red one, but made in the color black.
But Stefanelli's prestige as a craftsman goes beyond the walls of the Vatican. Many of his clients include heads of state and international figures:
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
The first model I made was for President Obama; then I made one for his wife, Michelle Obama. During Pope Benedict’s trip to America, the president at the time, President Bush, noticed Pope Benedict’s red loafers. Through the American embassy, I was asked to make the same model, but in black.
During this time, Stefanelli realized that Pope Benedict and President Bush shared something in common: they had the same shoe size.
ADRIANO STEFANELLI
Artisan
Fate would have it that Pope Benedict and Bush had the same shoe size: 42.
In addition to popes and presidents, the shoemaker's historic list of clients also includes patriarchs, famous business leaders, and major names in Italian industry.
