At 11.30 today, in the Chapel of Urban VIII, two blessed lambs were presented to the Pope on the occasion of the liturgical memory of St. Agnes, in the Basilica dedicated to the saint on the Via Nomentana.

The wool of these lambs will be used to weave the Pallia of the new metropolitan archbishops. The Pallium is a liturgical sign of honour 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 rite of the blessing of the pallia, which are imposed by the local apostolic nuncios to the metropolitan archbishops, is performed by the Holy Father on 29 June, on the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.