Archbishop Paul Cremona OP yesterday, together with 45 other Metropolitan Archbishops who were consecrated during the last 12 months, received the Pallium from Pope Benedict XVI.

The ceremony, which took place at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, took on feast of St Peter and St Paul. Besides the conferring of the Pallium, this feast is also an occasion to mark intercommunion between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Pallium is the white circular band of finely-woven wool about five centimetres wide, worn around the neck, having two pendants, one hanging down in front and the other behind. The pendants are approximately five centimetres wide and 30 centimetres long, and are weighted with small pieces of lead covered with black silk.

On the Pallium are woven six small black crosses – one on the front and back, one on each shoulder, and one on each pendant. The crosses on the front, back and left shoulder have two small loops to hold in place three pins – spinulae.

The Pallium is worn by archbishops as a symbol of their hierarchical communion with the Successor of Peter in the governance of God’s people.

Only the pope and metropolitan archbishops wear the Pallium, however, certain prelates may be granted a special permission to wear, as does the Dean of the College of Cardinals Cardinal Angelo Sodano.