pallium

thumb|The pallium of Pope John XXIII, which is the current design, displayed in the museum of the [[Archdiocese of Gniezno]]thumb|Pope Innocent III depicted wearing the pallium around the breast in a fresco at the Sacro Speco CloisterThe pallium (derived from the Roman pallium or palla, a woolen cloak; : pallia) is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the pope, but for many centuries bestowed by the Holy See upon metropolitans and primates as a symbol of their conferred jurisdictional authorities; it remains a papal emblem. It is symbolic of the lamb which Jesus carries on his shoulders in artwork portraying him as the Good Shepherd.

In its present (western) form, the pallium is a long and "three fingers broad" (narrow) white band adornment, woven from the wool of lambs raised by Trappist monks. It is donned by looping its middle around one's neck, resting upon the chasuble and two dependent lappets over one's shoulders with tail-ends (doubled) on the left with the front end crossing over the rear. When observed from the front or rear the pallium sports a stylistic letter 'y' (contrasting against an unpatterned chasuble). It is decorated with six black crosses, one near each end and four spaced out around the neck loop. At times the pallium is embellished fore, aft, and at the left shoulder with three gold gem-headed (dull) stickpins. The doubling and pinning on the left shoulder likely survive from the (simple scarf) Roman pallium.