.- On Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI continued an annual tradition marking the feast of St. Agnes, by blessing two lambs, whose wool will be used to make the palliums, yearly given to new metropolitan archbishops during the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The palliums, which are woolen stoles given to metropolitan archbishops who have been appointed within the last year, will be embroidered with six black crosses and worn over the shoulders.
Each has two hanging pieces, front and back. They are worn by both the Pope and the archbishops as a symbol of authority and the special bond between bishops and the Roman Pontiff.
