PNG’s New Archbishop Receives Pallium; Calls It a Mandate to Carry People’s Burdens

During a solemn celebration at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on June 29, Pope Leo XIV bestowed the sacred pallium on 54 new Metropolitan Archbishops from around the world, including Clement Papa, the newly elevated Metropolitan Archbishop of Mt. Hagen City, central Papua New Guinea.

This deeply symbolic gesture occurred during the Mass marking the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the two foundational apostles of the Christian Church. In his homily, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the powerful witness of Saints Peter and Paul, “pillars of the Church,” he called them, whose courage and martyrdom in Rome laid the foundation of the universal Church.

“Peter and Paul were both ready to lay down their lives for the sake of the Gospel,” the Pope proclaimed. “Though their paths were distinct, Peter, the humble Galilean fisherman, and Paul, the learned Pharisee-turned-apostle, their unity in Christ’s Spirit carried the Church forward.”

He added that the pallium was a call not only to authority but to deep humility and service, “The Good Shepherd carries His sheep on His shoulders, not as a symbol of power, but of love. May those who receive this mantle today carry their people with the same tenderness.”

Archbishop Clement Papa, who holds a doctorate in Theology and Pastoral Leadership, becomes the first Metropolitan Archbishop from the Highlands of Papua New Guinea to receive the pallium in person from the reigning Pope. 

Appointed by Pope Francis earlier this year, Archbishop Papa now leads the Ecclesiastical Province of Mt. Hagen, which includes several suffragan dioceses across the Highlands region.

Born and raised in the rugged heartlands of the Western Highlands, Archbishop Papa has long been admired for his spiritual leadership, academic excellence, and tireless pastoral dedication. 

His episcopal motto, In Lumine Veritatis (“In the Light of Truth”), speaks to his mission of guiding his people with wisdom, courage, and unwavering fidelity to the Gospel.

In an interview following the ceremony, Archbishop Papa said, “I carry this pallium not for myself, but for the faithful of Enga, Western Highlands, Hela, Simbu, Jiwaka, Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands, and all those who thirst for God’s justice, peace, and mercy.”

In many parts of Papua New Guinea, including Enga and the Western Highlands, symbolic garments such as bilas (traditional regalia) and ceremonial cloaks are worn by tribal and spiritual leaders to signify responsibility, heritage, and honor.

Archbishop Papa drew a powerful parallel between the pallium and traditional leadership,
“Just as our elders wear the bark cloak or kina shell to show they carry the burdens of the tribe, so the pallium reminds me that I carry the people of Mt. Hagen on my shoulders, especially the poor, the sick, the broken, and the forgotten.”

A delegation from Papua New Guinea, including bishops, clergy, religious sisters, and lay faithful accompaniedArchbishop Papa to Rome. A representative of the International Movement of Catholic Students–Papua New Guinea said:
“We are proud to see our archbishop standing shoulder to shoulder with leaders from every continent. It shows that the Gospel has taken root in our land.”

Pilgrims from other Pacific nations also joined in the celebrations, including delegations from the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, and Fiji reinforcing the solidarity of the Church in Oceania.