Sign for archbishops: Herwig Gössl receives pallium

Just seven months after his inauguration, Bamberg Archbishop Herwig Gössl has received the pallium, a special liturgical garment. The Apostolic Nuncio Nikola Eterovic placed it on him on Sunday at a church service in Bamberg, as the archbishopric announced. Pope Francis had already conferred the pallium on Gössl and 40 other newly appointed archbishops in St Peter's Basilica in Rome on 29 June.

In his sermon, Gössl warned against black-and-white thinking and polarisation. He called on people to also reckon with truth outside their own bubble. The Church teaches that traces of truth can also be found in other religions or world views. "This is the basis for building human and ecclesial community." That is why society today needs prophets as "truth tellers" who do not allow themselves to be ideologically blinded. Such prophets work against division and in favour of building community.

The pallium is a narrow, ring-shaped white woollen band in the shape of a double Y, which is worn around the neck or over the shoulders and held in place with pins. Two narrow short strips extend from this band, one between the shoulders and the other in front of the chest. Six black crosses are woven into the white fabric.

Once awarded by the emperor, now by the Pope

This type of stole has its origins in an honour first bestowed by the Roman emperor. It was adopted by the Church at the end of the fourth century and developed into the insignia of the archbishop as metropolitan of an ecclesiastical province. The dioceses of Würzburg, Eichstätt and Speyer belong to the ecclesiastical province of Bamberg. Representatives of these dioceses also took part in the ceremony.

According to the nuncio, the pallium woven from lamb's wool symbolises the lamb lying on the shoulder of the good shepherd. This is how Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd." The six crosses symbolise the stigmata of the Lord. "When the Archbishop receives the pallium, it is a public manifestation of communion with the Pope, who is the perpetual principle of the unity of the bishops and the faithful."

In accordance with liturgical regulations, the metropolitan may wear his pallium in any church in his ecclesiastical province. However, the Bamberg bishops were already allowed to adorn themselves with the pallium before Bamberg became an archbishopric: This was a special privilege because of the tomb of Pope Clement II (1005-1047) in St Henry's Cathedral. It is considered the only surviving papal tomb north of the Alps. (KNA)