Here are some interesting facts concerning St. Agnes that carry on to this day: “One of the traditions associated with Saint Agnes is that on the Feast of Saint Agnes, two lambs who have been raised at the local Trappist Monastery of Tre Fontane, are brought to the Basilica of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls and are blessed. The lambs are raised into sheep by the Benedictine Sisters of Cecilia in Trastavere (a section of Rome near the Vatican). The sheep are sheered each year on Holy Thursday. The wool from these lambs is then woven into material that is used to make around 12 pallia.(Latin singular=pallium, plural=pallia). The pallia are placed near the tomb of Saint Peter on June 28, the vigil of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul where they remain overnight. The pallia are then kept for future use in the “niche of the pallia” in a confessional near the tomb of Saint Peter.
A palium is a collar-like vestment that is the symbol of the office of an archbishop. It is ornamented with six crosses and is worn over a chasuable. A palium is presented to an archbishop by the Pope, and is symbolic of his unity with the Pope. Since the Diocese of Rome is an archdiocese, the Pope, who is the Bishop of Rome is also an archbishop. He also wears a pallium.
St. Agnes, pray for us.