Well, I gotta say I'm not satisfied yet. The 1963 Morris West novel titled The Shoes of the Fisherman seems to be what made "The Shoes of the Fisherman" a common term to describe the office of Pope. Grishka says Morris West didn't coin the phrase - but how do you know that, Grishka? I can't find any reference to "shoes of the fisherman" or "St. Peter's Shoon" that predates Morris West.

And what about the terms "Jesus boots" and "water walkers" to refer to sandals? They were common terms in the 1960s, but I can't find any reference to those terms before that.

So, could it be that what we have here is a case of reverse folklore, manufacturing the origins of a term that actually came from a 1963 novel?

Early references to St. Peter use keys as a symbol of Peter, not shoes. This refers to the Matthew 16:19, where Jesus tells Peter he will give Peter to the kingdom of heaven - and that probably leads to the image of Peter as keeper of the pearly gates (and the pearly gates reference is an obscure passage in the Book of Revelation).

As has been said above, Peter wasn't very successful at walking on water, so his shoes wouldn't be worth much for that purpose. I'm guessing the reference is tied to the idiom "filling his shoes," meaning to match up to the heroic performance of a predecessor.

....and as long as I'm bing a "doubting Thomas," do we have evidence that the term "Grey Funnel Lines" was in use before Cyril Tawney wrote his song? Could it be that Tawney coined the term?

-Joe-