Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos
Following my previous work on the funeral rites of Catholic Archbishops, numerous questions arose, prompting this sequel. This piece seeks to clarify some of the most misunderstood liturgical and ecclesiastical symbols associated with the death of a Metropolitan Archbishop. Among the questions asked are those concerning the pallium, the episcopal ring, and why the funeral of an incumbent Archbishop differs significantly from that of an Archbishop Emeritus.
The passing of His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City, once again provides an opportunity to explain these important traditions of the Catholic Church through the lens of her liturgy, canon law and centuries of ecclesiastical practice.
Understanding the Pallium
Pallia is the plural form of pallium. The pallium is a narrow circular band of white wool adorned with six black crosses and worn around the shoulders by Metropolitan Archbishops during solemn liturgical celebrations. It is one of the most significant liturgical insignia in the Latin Church.
The pallium signifies the Archbishop’s pastoral office as shepherd of the flock, his metropolitan authority over his ecclesiastical province and, above all, his communion with the Roman Pontiff. As stipulated in Canon 437 §1 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and further elaborated in Paragraph 20 of the 2004 Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops (Apostolorum Successores), every Metropolitan Archbishop receives the pallium personally from the Holy Father or his delegate after his appointment to a Metropolitan See, and he may wear it only within his own ecclesiastical province.
As the Metropolitan Archbishop of Rome, the Roman Pontiff also wears the pallium, though in a distinct form that symbolizes his universal pastoral ministry over the entire Church.
Interestingly, every pallium is woven from the wool of lambs blessed annually on the Feast of Saint Agnes, celebrated on 21 January. As highlighted in Paragraph 20 of Apostolorum Successores, this symbolism recalls Christ, the Good Shepherd, carrying the sheep upon His shoulders and reminds every Metropolitan Archbishop that authority in the Church is fundamentally an act of sacrificial pastoral service.
According to Canon 437 §3 , each pallium belongs to a particular Metropolitan See and to the Archbishop who receives it. Consequently, if an Archbishop is transferred to another Metropolitan Archdiocese, he receives a new pallium for that See rather than retaining the previous one.
Handling Multiple Pallia
Only Archbishops who have successively governed two or more Metropolitan Sees possess more than one pallium. Consequently, they possess multiple pallia.
Where an Archbishop possesses multiple pallia, different ecclesiastical customs exist. Both pallia may be placed in the coffin. One may be placed in the coffin while another is preserved in the cathedral treasury or diocesan archives because of its historical significance. In some instances, a faithful replica may be used during the funeral while the original is preserved. Such customs are determined by legitimate ecclesiastical authority and longstanding local tradition rather than by universal liturgical legislation.
Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze served as Metropolitan Archbishop only of the Archdiocese of Benin City. Consequently, he possessed a single pallium rather than multiple pallia.
The Tolling of the Cathedral Bell and the Draped Cathedra
One of the earliest public signs of the death of an incumbent Archbishop is the solemn tolling of the cathedral bell. Once his passing is officially confirmed, the cathedral bell is rung slowly and mournfully to announce to the clergy, religious and lay faithful that their chief shepherd has gone to the Lord.
This ancient ecclesiastical custom is more than an announcement of death. It is an invitation to prayer, calling the faithful to commend the soul of the deceased Archbishop to God’s mercy. In many dioceses, churches throughout the Archdiocese also toll their bells in communion with the Mother Church, thereby expressing both ecclesial unity and Christian hope in the resurrection. This was glaring at the funeral of the Bishop of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
Alongside the bell, another immediate visual sign inside the Mother Church is the draped Cathedra, the official chair of the Archbishop. During the funeral of an incumbent, the Cathedra stands vacant and draped in mourning colours such as black or violet. This visual sign reminds the diocese that the active occupant of the seat has passed on and that the shepherd’s chair awaits a successor.
The Episcopal Ring and Its Canonical Mandate
The episcopal ring is one of the principal insignia of the episcopal office. As stated in Paragraph 49 of the 1964 Second Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium and reiterated in Paragraph 58 of the 1989 edition of the Roman Pontifical, the Bishop receives the ring during his episcopal ordination as a sign of his fidelity to Christ, his mystical union with the particular Church entrusted to his pastoral care, his apostolic authority, and his communion with the universal Church.
Regarding the fate of the ring upon death, historical and liturgical documentation clarifies a widespread misconception. There is no public liturgical rite for the ceremonial removal or decommissioning of a Bishop’s ring during his funeral. Rather, universal liturgical law explicitly mandates that a deceased Bishop remain wearing his ring in death and burial.
Paragraph 1158 of the 1984 Caeremoniale Episcoporum explicitly directs that the body of a deceased Bishop be clothed in the sacred vestments appropriate to his order, including the miter and the episcopal ring. This directive is reinforced by Paragraph 38 of the Order of Christian Funerals, which prescribes that the bishop be buried with the ring placed upon his finger during his ordination.
This practice reflects the theological reality that the marital-like bond established between the Bishop and the Church through his ordination endures in his sacramental character. Historically, under Paragraph 13 of Pope John Paul II’s 1996 Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, the breaking or defacing of a seal ring applied strictly to the papal ring, known as the Ring of the Fisherman (Annulus Piscatoris), to prevent fraudulent administrative decrees during an interregnum.
For diocesan Bishops, however, no such ritual destruction exists. If a diocese preserves a historical ring for archives, it is removed quietly during the private preparation of the body prior to the public lying in state, rather than as an official liturgical rite.
The Funeral Vesture and Spatial Orientation
At the funeral of a deceased Metropolitan Archbishop, the body is vested in full Episcopal vestments appropriate to his office, including the miter, pectoral cross, and vestments of the proper liturgical color. As a Metropolitan Archbishop, Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze will fittingly be vested with his pallium, the enduring symbol of his communion with the Apostolic See and of the metropolitan ministry he faithfully exercised.
The pastoral staff, commonly called the crosier, is ordinarily not placed in the coffin with the body because Paragraph 1158 of the 1984 Caeremoniale Episcoporum notes that it signifies the active exercise of pastoral governance. While episcopal ordination leaves an indelible sacramental character and the Archbishop remains forever a Bishop, his earthly exercise of pastoral governance has now come to its conclusion.
A unique spatial feature during the funeral liturgy is the orientation of the casket. In standard Catholic funerals for lay faithful, the body is placed with the feet facing the altar, symbolizing their orientation toward the altar of sacrifice. However, according to Paragraph 1157 of the 1984 Caeremoniale Episcoporum, a deceased Bishop or priest is placed facing the congregation, with his head toward the altar and his feet toward the nave. This position reflects his pastoral life, during which he stood facing his flock to lead them in prayer, preach the Word, and offer the Holy Sacrifice.
The Presence of the Ecclesiastical Province and Cathedral Crypt
The funeral of an incumbent Metropolitan Archbishop brings together the entire Ecclesiastical Province. Because a Metropolitan serves as the head of the province, his funeral naturally draws the active attendance and participation of all the Suffragan Bishops of the province. Their presence visibly displays the provincial communion that the late Archbishop led in life.
Furthermore, Canon 1242 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law provides an exception to the general prohibition against burials inside churches, explicitly permitting Bishops to be buried inside their own Cathedral. An incumbent Archbishop is frequently laid to rest in the crypt or chapel of the Mother Church where he exercised his governance, physically linking his earthly legacy to the cathedral seat he served.
Where This Funeral Differs From That of Archbishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu
Having clarified these questions, it is important to return to the person whose passing has occasioned this reflection.
Unlike Archbishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu, who died as Archbishop Emeritus, Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze died while still serving as the incumbent Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City. This distinction is profoundly significant.
When an Archbishop retires, he relinquishes the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese in accordance with Canons 401 and 402 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, but continues to exercise the episcopal ministries of teaching and sanctifying. He remains an Archbishop and Bishop for life because episcopal ordination confers an indelible sacramental character that can never be lost.
By contrast, an incumbent Archbishop remains the canonical shepherd of his Archdiocese until the very moment of death. Consequently, his funeral marks not merely the passing of a beloved pastor but also the conclusion of an active episcopal ministry. It is for this reason that visible symbols like the draped Cathedra, the gathered suffragan episcopate of the province, and the solemn burial rites within his Cathedral carry such deep resonance.
The funeral of a serving Metropolitan Archbishop therefore possesses a unique ecclesiastical significance. It commemorates the life and ministry of the Archbishop while also marking the completion of his active pastoral leadership of the Metropolitan Church entrusted to his care. It is a moment of profound grief, solemn thanksgiving and graceful Christian hope in the resurrection of the dead.
May the soul of Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Author’s Note
Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos asserts his intellectual property rights over this work. No unauthorised modification, reproduction or removal of the author’s name is permitted without due acknowledgement
