VATICAN CITY, JAN 21, 2006 (VIS) – This morning in the Urban VIII Chapel of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, in keeping with the tradition for today’s feast of St. Agnes, the Pope today blessed two lambs, the wool of which will be used to make the palliums bestowed on new metropolitan archbishops on June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

  The pallium is a white woolen band embroidered with six black crosses which is worn over the shoulders and has two hanging pieces, front and back. Worn by the Pope and by metropolitan archbishops, the pallium symbolizes authority and expresses the special bond between the bishops and the Roman Pontiff.

I’m looking for photos – none have popped up yet, but I won’t give up!