CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Papal Nuncio Guiseppe Pinto, ambassador of the Vatican to the Philippines who also represents Pope Francis, conferred Tuesday the Pallium to Most Rev. Florentino G. Lavarias, D.D., fourth metropolitan Archbishop of San Fernando.
Governor Lilia Pineda said Pampanga is so blessed as for the first time in history of the Church, the Eucharistic Celebration of the Imposition of the Pallium was held here in this city.
The governor said that usually, the imposition of the Pallium to an archbishop is held at Vatican Cathedral in Rome every 29th day of June of every year coinciding with the celebration of the feast of Saint Peter.
It was learned that among the liturgical insignia of the Supreme Pontiff, the pallium is one of the most evocative as it is made of white wool and symbol of the bishop as the good shepherd and, at the same time, of the Lamb Crucified for the salvation of human race.
According to Provincial Tourism Officer Arwin Paul Lingat, the Pallium is given to an archbishop until his reassignment to other archdioceses.
“The symbolism of the Pallium is even more concrete: the lamb’s wool is meant to represent the lost, sick or weak sheep which the shepherd places on his shoulders and carries to the waters of life,” Lingat said.
Lingat said the Pallium of the metropolitan archbishop, in its present form, is a straight sash of material of almost five centimeters, made of white wool, curved at the center, thus allowing it to rest on the shoulders over the Roman or Gothic chasuble and with two black flaps falling in front and behind, so that, seen either from the front or from behind, the vestment reminds one of the letter “Y”.
“It is decorated with six crosses of black silk, one on each end and four on the incurvature, and is decorated in front and on the back, with three pins made of gold and jewels,” he added.
After the liturgical celebration, the civil reception followed which was also attended by City Mayor Edwin Santiago, Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin, Councilor Harvey Quiwa and Auxiliary Bishop Pablo David of the Diocese of Caloocan, among other priests. (Joel P. Mapiles/Pampanga PIO)