Pope Leo XIV conferred the Pallium on Archbishop Elias Frank of Calcutta and Archbishop Antonysamy Savarimuthu of Madurai during the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul at St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, formally marking their reception of the ancient symbol of metropolitan authority and communion with the Holy See.
The annual conferral of the Pallium is among the most significant ceremonies of the liturgical celebration honouring Saints Peter and Paul. The vestment is bestowed upon newly appointed metropolitan archbishops as a symbol of their pastoral responsibility within their ecclesiastical provinces and their unity with the Bishop of Rome.
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Made of white wool and adorned with six black crosses, the Pallium is worn over the shoulders during the celebration of the Eucharist within a metropolitan archbishop’s province. It represents the shepherd’s pastoral office, his care for the faithful entrusted to him, and his communion with the Pope and the universal Church.
Archbishop Elias Frank received the Pallium less than a year after assuming office as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Calcutta in September 2025. A native of Karnataka, he previously served as the Bishop of Asansol. Ordained to the priesthood in 1993, he holds a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome and has served in several pastoral and administrative roles within the Church.
Archbishop Antonysamy Savarimuthu, who became the Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai in July 2025 after serving as Bishop of Palayamkottai, also received the Pallium during the ceremony. Ordained a priest in 1987, he earned a doctorate in Canon Law from the Institut Catholique de Paris and previously served as the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Madurai before his appointment as metropolitan archbishop.
The conferral of the Pallium serves as a visible expression of the bond of communion between metropolitan archbishops and the Successor of St. Peter, reaffirming their shared mission of shepherding the faithful in accordance with the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
The occasion was celebrated with joy by the Catholic Church in India, as two of its metropolitan archbishops publicly affirmed their pastoral ministry in communion with Pope Leo XIV. The faithful of the Archdioceses of Calcutta and Madurai joined Catholics around the world in prayer, seeking God’s blessings upon their shepherds as they continue their mission of leading their local Churches with faith, wisdom and pastoral charity.
