Archbishop Dolan given symbol of leadership by the Pope

Pope Benedict bestows sacred symbol of leadership on Archbishop Dolan at pallium ceremony

So what did the Pope say?

That's what the New York pilgrims asked Archbishop Timothy Dolan after Pope Benedict lingered a minute at Monday's sacred pallium ceremony.

"You know, I went up to the Holy Father, and I haven't told anybody what he said to me," Dolan told the faithful.

"I said, 'My name is Timothy Dolan and I'm from New York,' and he said, 'Ah . . . Yankees or Mets?' "

When the laughter died down at Cecilia Metella restaurant on the Appian Way, the now-official archbishop of 2.5 million New York Catholics noted the empty wine bottles, especially one he shared with Edward Cardinal Egan.

"We call the empty bottles 'dead soldiers,' " he said. "But you know the saying: 'They didn't die without a priest.' "