Pallium worn by Metropolitan Archbishops

Pallium

The pallium (derived from the Roman pallium or palla, a woolen cloak) is worn on top of the Chasuble. Worn only by Metropolitan Archbishops (after being imposed with the pallium by the Pope). 

A metropolitan archbishop may wear his pallium as a mark of his jurisdiction not only in his own archdiocese but anywhere in his ecclesiastical province whenever he celebrates Mass (Canon 437, Code of Canon Law, 1983).

Worn by the pope, the pallium symbolizes the plenitudo pontificalis officii (i.e., the "plenitude of pontifical office"); worn by archbishops, it typifies their participation in the supreme pastoral power of the pope, who concedes it to them for their proper church provinces. Similarly, after his resignation, he may not use the pallium; should he be transferred to another archdiocese, he must again petition the Pope for a new pallium.

The pallium, in its present Western form, is a narrow band, "three fingers broad", woven of white lamb's wool from sheep raised by Trappist monks, with a loop in the centre resting on the shoulders over the chasuble and two dependent lappets, before and behind; so that when seen from front or back the ornament resembles the letter Y. It is decorated with six black crosses, one on each tail and four on the loop, is doubled on the left shoulder and sometimes is garnished, back and front, with three jeweled gold pins. The two latter characteristics seem to be survivals of the time when the Roman pallium was a simple scarf doubled and pinned on the left shoulder.

The lambs whose wool is destined for the making of the pallia are solemnly presented at the altar by the nuns of the convent of Saint Agnes. The Benedictine nuns of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere later weave the lambs' wool into pallia. The Pope blesses these lambs used for the wool each year at a simple ceremony.

The 3 pins inserted on top of the crosses on the front, left and back (not the lappet crosses), are symbolic of the nails with which Christ was crucified.

The Pope’s pallium (as used by Pope Bendict XVI and Pope Francis) are decorated with six red crosses (instead of black crosses and are slightly larger). 3 gold pins are also used on the papal pallium.

At present, only the Pope, metropolitan archbishops, and the Latin Rite Patriarch of Jerusalem wear the pallium. No other bishops, even non-metropolitan archbishops, titular archbishops or retired metropolitans, are allowed to wear the pallium unless they have special permission. 

It is the Pope who imposes the pallium on metropolitans. The rite for imposing the pallium on metropolitan archbishops takes place annually on 29 June, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul Apostles. It is not a sacramental rite.

The Pope’s receives his pallium at his installation mass. 

New pallia are solemnly blessed after the First Vespers on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, and are then kept in a special silver-gilt casket near the Confessio Petri (tomb of St. Peter) until required. The pallium was formerly conferred in Rome by a cardinal deacon, and outside of Rome by a bishop; in both cases the ceremony took place after the celebration of Mass and the administration of an oath. Since the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), the liturgy for the conferral of the pallium as it appears in the liturgical books is to take place at the beginning of the Mass in which the archbishop takes possession of his see; however, the practice of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI has actually been to summon all new metropolitans to Rome to receive the pallium directly from the hands of the pope on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

After receiving the pallium, the metropolitan is entitled to have an archiepiscopal cross (with two cross-bars instead of one) carried before him.

When a Pope or metropolitan dies in office, he is buried wearing the pallium. If a metropolitan (or, presumably, a pope) leaves his office before he dies, his pallium is rolled up and placed with him in his coffin.