"A Bond of Love, An Incentive to Courage"

Early this morning, keeping with tradition on this feast of Rome's patrons, the Pope conferred the pallium on the 38 metropolitan archbishops named around the world over the last year.

Unusually, this time around the entire class made it to Rome to receive the symbol of their new office -- in most years, a handful of the new archbishops find themselves unable to make the trip, in which cases the woolen band is sent to them following the annual rites to receive in a ceremony at home.

In keeping with tradition, the ancient "cloak" -- a symbol of the easy yoke of Christ and the special link between the metropolitans and the see of Peter -- is given with the following exhortation:

To the glory of Almighty God and the praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Holy Roman Church, for the honor of the Churches, which have been placed in your care, and as a symbol of your authority as metropolitan archbishop: We confer on you the pallium taken from the tomb of Peter to wear within the limits of your ecclesiastical provinces.

May this pallium be a symbol of unity
and a sign of your communion with the Apostolic See,
a bond of love, and an incentive to courage.
On the day of the coming and manifestation
of our great God and chief shepherd, Jesus Christ,
may you and the flock entrusted to you
be clothed with immortality and glory.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

For those watching at home, though, hot off the wire are your pallium pics....

First, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati:

Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee:

and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami:

PHOTOS: Getty(1), Reuters(2-4)

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