pallium

American  

[pal-ee-uhm] / ˈpæl i əm /

noun

PLURAL

pallia, palliums

1. a large, rectangular mantle worn by men in ancient Greece and Rome.

2. Ecclesiastical.

   1. a woolen vestment worn by the pope and conferred by him on archbishops, consisting, in its present form, of a narrow ringlike band that rests on the shoulders, with two dependent bands or lappets, one in front and one behind.

   2. an altar cloth; a pall.

3. Anatomy.  the entire cortex of the cerebrum.

4. Zoology.  a mantle, as of a mollusk or bird.

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pallium British  

/ ˈpælɪəm /

noun

1. a garment worn by men in ancient Greece or Rome, made by draping a large rectangular cloth about the body

2. RC Church a woollen vestment consisting of a band encircling the shoulders with two lappets hanging from it front and back: worn by the pope, all archbishops, and (as a mark of special honour) some bishops

3. Also called: mantle.  anatomy the cerebral cortex and contiguous white matter

4. zoology another name for mantle

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Etymology

Origin of pallium

before 1150; Old English < Latin (not attested in ME); pall ¹

Example Sentences

The Pope's official inauguration followed the Mass, with a pallium garment - a white woolen band - placed on the pope's shoulders, and fixed in place with three pins to represent the nails on the cross.

From BBC

Benedict had an image of a pallium integrated into his papal emblem.

From Seattle Times

Since he was no longer pope when he died, Benedict did not lie in state with his papal regalia, such as the pallium.

From New York Times

Also placed inside will be three palliums - bands of wool cloth worn around the neck by popes, archdiocesan bishops and other bishops with territorial jurisdiction, to signify their roles as shepherds of their flocks.

From Reuters

Benedict has been laying in state without any papal regalia, such as a crosier, a silver staff with a crucifix, or a pallium, a band of cloth worn around the neck worn by archdiocesan bishops.

From Reuters

Related Words

• veil