Vatican City, Jun 29, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The Holy Father explained, in today's general audience in St. Peter's Square, the significance of the Pallium which he imparted to 44 archbishops yesterday, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.
John Paul II made only a very brief mention of the Pallium during yesterday’s Mass, owing to the occasion of the historic attendance of Bartholomew I, Patriarch of Constantinople, with whom the Pope shared the homily, in order to commemorate “the forty years of the historical embrace” between Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I in Jerusalem.
During today’s audience the Pope recalled the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, yesterday, who are so venerated in Rome, “where they sealed their admirable witness of love for the Lord with blood.”
During the celebration, he continued, “forty-four metropolitan archbishops received the pallium. This “special liturgical insignia,” which is a white stole made of lambs' wool worn around the neck, expresses “communion with the Bishop of Rome.”