Saturday was the feast of St. Agnes, and as customary, on that day, Pope Francis blessed lambs whose wool will be used to make palliums.
In Latin, Agnes means “lamb.” A martyr of the early 4th century known for her consecrated virginity, St. Agnes was killed as a young girl for refusing to worship pagan gods. She is buried in the Basilica named for her, located on Rome’s Via Nomentana.
The Pallium is a liturgical sign of honor and jurisdiction, worn by the Pope and the metropolitan archbishops in their Churches and in those of their Provinces. The Pallia destined for the metropolitan archbishops are made up of a narrow strip of cloth, woven from white wool, decorated with six stars in black silk.
The Pope will impose the palliums upon the metropolitan archbishops on June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
