46 new archbishops to receive pallium

June 26, 2015

Forty-six newly appointed archbishops will receive the pallium this year, with Pope Francis blessing the vestments during Mass on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29.

The pallium is a white woolen strip, worn around the neck in liturgical functions, symbolizing the union between a metropolitan archbishop and the Bishop of Rome. For years, each new archbishop had received his pallium directly from the Pontiff, during Mass on the patronal feast of the Church of Rome.

But this year Pope Francis set a new policy, saying that each archbishop should receive the pallium in his own archdiocese, from the apostolic nuncio, the Pope’s representative in the country. Msgr. Guido Marini, the master of liturgical ceremonies, explained in a letter to new archbishops that Pope Francis thought this ceremony would “greatly favor the participation of the local Church.”

Nevertheless the Holy Father invited the new archbishops to join him in Rome for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Those who attend the ceremony in the Vatican basilica will receive the pallium privately from the Pontiff after the Mass, with the formal vesting to take place later in their own archdioceses.

The metropolitan archbishops appointed during the past year include two cardinals: Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne and Antonio Canizares Llovera of Valencia. Two American prelates are in the group: Archbishops Blaise Cupich of Chicago and John Wester of Santa Fe. Also included are Archbishops Eamon Martin of Armagh, Ireland, Kieran O’Reilley of Cashel, Ireland, Anthony Fisher of Sydney, Australia, and Denis Grondin of Rimouski, Canada.

 

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Further information:

• Metropolitan archbishops to receive the pallium (VIS)
• Pope changes another tradition: each new archbishop will receive pallium in his own archdiocese (CWN, 1/28)