What is a Pallium? A Denver Catholic Guide to Archbishop Golka’s Upcoming Pilgrimage
- André Escaleira, Jr.
- 3 minutes ago
- 6 min read
The new Denver archbishop is heading to Rome this June to receive a special liturgical vestment from the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. In this article, we explain the history, significance and symbolism of the pallium.
Denver Archbishop James Golka is heading to Rome this month for a special pilgrimage, together with members of the archdiocesan faithful. While there, he’ll receive a special liturgical vestment, the pallium, from the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV.
It’s a powerful moment in the life of the global Church and the Archdiocese of Denver, full of history, significance and symbolism.
Let’s dive in.
What is a Pallium?
The word itself comes from the Latin for mantle or cloak. Worn by metropolitan archbishops — that is, archbishops responsible for oversight (not governance) over a province or region of dioceses — the pallium is a sort of collar. It’s worn over the chasuble, the outermost poncho-like vestment that all priests wear while celebrating Mass, around the shoulders.
It’s white with six black crosses, in a circular shape, two inches wide, with two 12-inch-long bands extending down the front and back. At the end of those bands is a black cap. Crosses on the back, front and left shoulder have a pin, called a spinula, Latin for small spine or thorn.
The pallium must be requested by the new metropolitan archbishop at the time of his appointment or installation. When a metropolitan archbishop is transferred, he is no longer permitted to use his pallium; if he is transferred to a new metropolitan archdiocese, he may request a new one for his new role.
The History of the Pallium
The origin of the liturgical vestment is a bit murky, with some claiming Roman or Greek origins.
Either way, the pallium, used in a secular Roman sense, dates back at least to Tertullian and St. Justin Martyr in the ancient Church. Tertullian associated the garment with Jesus, and St. Justin was said to have been wearing one when he was martyred in 165 AD.
The garment gained popularity in the Church as it became more uncommon in secular society, eventually being permitted for all metropolitan archbishops in the 9th century.
A new metropolitan archbishop must petition the Holy Father to receive the pallium once he is installed in his archdiocese.
The pallium was commonly bestowed upon a new metropolitan archbishop during the rite of installation, when he took possession of his archdiocese. The papal nuncio, the pope’s representative in a particular country, would confer the liturgical vestment in the archdiocese’s cathedral during that celebration.
Around 43 years ago, though, Pope St. John Paul II moved that conferral from the rite of installation, opting instead to bestow the pallium on archbishops himself, on the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, two of the Church’s greatest apostles and evangelists. In 2015, Pope Francis returned the practice to local Churches and papal nuncios. In 2025, Pope Leo XIV reinstituted the practice of coming to Rome to receive the vestment.
In 2012, then-Archbishop-designate Samuel J. Aquila received his pallium alongside Archbishop Charles Chaput, newly transferred from Denver to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, from Pope Benedict XVI. This came a few weeks before his installation as the Archbishop of Denver on July 18, 2012.
The Making and Blessing of the Pallium
Each year on January 21, the feast of St. Agnes, two lambs are led from Tre Fontane, a Trappist abbey on the site where St. Paul was martyred, to the Basilica of St. Agnes. They are blessed, and later presented to the pope at the Vatican, then taken to the Basilica of St. Cecilia, where sisters care for the lambs for several months. Before Easter each year, the lambs are shorn, and their wool is used to make the pallia (plural for pallium) for all newly-appointed metropolitan archbishops in the world.
Given the growth of the Church and the number of metropolitan archbishops, the process of weaving the pallia has changed over the years. While the sisters would historically make them by hand, they now select a company to weave them with a portion of the wool shorn from the two lambs.
The Symbolism of the Pallium
There is tremendous symbolism in the pallium, its making, blessing, conferral and history. Who knew one small, simple garment could carry such a profound meaning in the life of the Church!
The Saints
St. Agnes: The lambs whose wool will be used to create the pallia are blessed on the feast of St. Agnes, an early Roman martyr whose name means lamb in Latin. Renowned for her profound faith and courage, Agnes chose death rather than reject her vow to follow Jesus. “My life belongs to him who has chosen me first,” she reportedly said. Her witness shows the courage necessary to live the faith to the end.
St. Paul: Those same lambs are led from the site of St. Paul’s martyrdom, Tre Fontane, which in Italian means three fountains. The name comes from the legend that, when St. Paul was beheaded, his head struck the ground three times, and springs miraculously bubbled up at each site. Additionally, the pallium is conferred on metropolitan archbishops on his feast day each year in late June. The great evangelist’s witness — even unto death — shows us what it means to put the Word of God at the center of our lives and to share Jesus with all those we meet.
St. Peter: The first pope, head of the apostles and great evangelist shares the feast day on which the pallium is conferred. He even keeps watch over the pallia before they are blessed and distributed to new metropolitan archbishops; the vestments are kept near St. Peter’s tomb, in the crypt of St. Peter Basilica. Today, his successor, Pope Leo XIV, bestows the liturgical vestment that represents the Church’s unity on metropolitan archbishops.
The Good Shepherd (wool, black tip resembling the hoof of a lamb,
The lamb imagery and symbolism run deep through the pallium — from the blessing of lambs to the use of their wool to the black cap at the end of the pallium. All of these elements remind us of Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, by whose example the new archbishop leads.
Like Jesus, the archbishop has great authority but is not to lord it over anyone. Rather, he exercises his pastoral (a word with agrarian roots as well!) ministry in love, leading his sheep to the true shepherd. Sometimes, that might mean metaphorically carrying them on his shoulders, as Christ the Good Shepherd is often depicted, allowing them to leave a “hoof-print” on his heart — symbolized by the black cap at the end of the pallium.
The Three Pins
These spinulae, or thorns, recall the three nails of Jesus’ crucifixion: one in each hand and one in his feet. They are to remind the archbishop of him whose leadership they exercise, and the form and type of that leadership: complete and total self-gift.
As those pins poke at the metropolitan archbishop on occasion — a reminder of St. Paul’s own “thorn in the flesh” (see 1 Corinthians 12) — he is reminded of his mission to lay down his life for his sheep with the Good Shepherd (see John 10:11-18).
The Unity
All metropolitan archbishops receive their pallium from the Holy Father, coming together as one Church across nations, languages, cultures and time. They wear it in union with each other and with the pope (who also wears one), a visible sign of communion and unity.
Come Along With Us!
As Archbishop Golka prepares to receive this important and symbolic vestment from the Holy Father, a group of archdiocesan faithful — including Denver Catholic staff — will accompany him.
We’ll pray with and for him, visit holy saints and sites and come together as one Church in support of our spiritual fathers worldwide.
And we want to bring you along with us!
Throughout the trip, from June 24 to July 1, we’ll be publishing daily updates, reflections and photos on denvercatholic.org, on our social media accounts and in special e-newsletters.
Beyond those updates, it would be an honor to pray for you, dear reader, and our archdiocesan community, while visiting these holy saints and sites.
For more information on how to follow along and submit prayer intentions, click here.
