Originally published at The Crux
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Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul – martyrs and co-patrons of the city and the diocese of Rome – in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday.
It was the second of two major gatherings of senior prelates over the past four days, which together offer subtle indications about how Leo intends to give institutional form to “synodality” and tackle practical issues of governance.
“[I]t is important,” the pope said in his homily, “to look to these two saints – Peter and Paul – to understand how we, in turn, can be apostles and builders of unity, and generous servants of the truth in charity.”
Also present were nearly three dozen prelates appointed in the past year to lead major metropolitan archdioceses around the world, who received the liturgical vestment that is the special sign of their leadership.
The pallium, as the vestment is called in the Church’s Western tradition, is a thin strip of white lamb’s wool, about 2 to 3 inches wide, with six black silk crosses hand-stitched at intervals. Foot-long weighted pendants hang from the front and back to keep it in place.
“These bands of white wool adorned with crosses
