Though traditionally archbishops used to be invested with the pallium by the pope in St. Peter’s, Francis changed that practice in 2015 so that the pallium is now placed on archbishops’ shoulders in their home archdioceses.
Pope Francis blessed the pallia for the new Metropolitan Archbishops on the feast of Sts Peter and Paul at the Vatican. The Pope urged them to follow the footsteps of Peter and Paul, becoming apostles in preaching the Gospel and bringing its beauty to all people. pic.twitter.com/frOhovnlWF
— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) June 29, 2023
Thomas will be invested with the pallium by the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Christophe Pierre, in another special Mass on Oct. 2 at Guardian Angel Cathedral, the mother church of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas.
In attendance at that Mass will be the various other bishops under the authority of Thomas as metropolitan archbishop.
America’s newest archdiocese
In May, the pope elevated Las Vegas to the status of a metropolitan archdiocese, creating a new ecclesiastical province.
As archbishop, Thomas will oversee not only his archdiocese but will also bear responsibility for the other dioceses within his metropolitan region.
There are 35 archdioceses in the United States, including the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and two Eastern Catholic archdioceses.
The Archdiocese of Las Vegas serves more than 620,000 Catholics and “hundreds of thousands of tourists,” according to the cathedral’s website.
Peter Pinedo is a DC Correspondent for CNA. A graduate of Franciscan University, Peter previously worked for Texas Right to Life. He is a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.