On Monday, June 29, 2026, the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Eucharistic Celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica, during which he blessed the pallium and bestowed them on the new Metropolitan Archbishops. Among them, to the joy of the Redemptorist family, were two fellow Redemptorist Confreres: Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl of Prague and Primate of the Czech Republic, and Archbishop Charles Duval of Grouard-McLennan, Canada.
In his homily, the Holy Father indicated the spiritual meaning of the rite: “These bands of white wool, adorned with crosses, express the commitment of every shepherd to take upon his shoulders the brothers and sisters entrusted to him, like so many other lambs of the Lord’s Flock, and to sacrifice for them energy, time, effort and even life, so that the Gospel may reach everyone and the entire world may find harmony and concord in it.”
Mons. Stanislav Přibyl CSsR 
Mons. Charles Duval CSsR
The pallium—a narrow band of white wool adorned with six black silk crosses—is the liturgical vestment of the Pope and Metropolitan Archbishops. Its symbolism is rich: the white wool recalls the lamb carried on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd; for archbishops, wearing it is a visible sign of their communion with the See of Peter and of their jurisdictional authority over their ecclesiastical province.
Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl, C.S.R., was appointed Archbishop of Prague on February 2, 2026, by Pope Leo XIV, and took up the leadership of the metropolitan see on April 25.
Archbishop Charles Duval, C.Ss.R., was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan on February 14, 2025, and assumed leadership of the archdiocese on September 6 of the same year.
The entire Redemptorist family rejoices on this day and unites in prayer for these two confreres and for all the other Redemptorists called to serve the People of God as pastors, in full communion with the successor of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV.
Since he was visiting the Redemptorist community in Indonesia at that time, Father Rogério Gomes, Superior General of the Redemptorists, was unable to be present in Rome. On his behalf, Father Nicolas Ayouba, General Consultor, and Father Edward Chacón, General Secretary, went to congratulate Archbishop Charles Duval and Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl respectively, delivering to them the letter from the Father General.
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