Students in Peru have spent three weeks rushing to finish a 45-meter textile piece to welcome Pope Leo XIV to Chiclayo, ewtnnews.com reported.
The monumental garment measures 45 meters long by 1.50 meters wide and honors the pontiff during his return to the northern diocese he pastored from 2015 to 2023. Young designers guided needles over golden threads to shape embroidered crosses on what is likely the largest stole ever made.
“Hacer este trabajo es muy significativo y a la vez nos llena de alegría,” Carolina Rivera told ewtnnews.com.
The garment replicates the stole Robert Prevost wore as bishop of Chiclayo, featuring Augustinian spirituality symbols such as a marine shell. Ten crosses run along both sides, with the first embroidered crosses reaching about two meters in height before decreasing progressively.
Alberto González Rioja conceived the project and directs production alongside his students at the Escuela de Diseño y Gestión de la Moda del Servicio Nacional de Adiestramiento en Trabajo Industrial. Suppliers and local firms like Warmi provided threads and fabrics for the collaborative effort.
“Nuestros alumnos del sexto ciclo son los que impulsado todo esto,” González said.
Workers installed the giant garment on a building facade along the primary street leading to the Pampas de Pimentel esplanade. The popedobile will pass the display as the pontiff travels to celebrate Holy Mass on Friday, November 13.
“Sinceramente no pensé llegar a tanto, hacer este proyecto tan grande y tan reconocido a nivel nacional,” Ruby Panta Gamarra told ewtnnews.com.
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