Pope Leo XIV has invited cardinals from around the world to the Vatican today and tomorrow, Thursday, marking the first such gathering of his papacy. The two-day meeting comes in response to calls for a more collegial and collective governance of the Roman Catholic Church.
All 245 cardinals—those based in Rome as well as those serving across the five continents—have been summoned to take part in the closed-door meeting. According to Vatican sources cited by Agence France-Presse, the extraordinary assembly responds to a request voiced by cardinals prior to Pope Leo XIV’s election in May, urging greater shared responsibility in Church leadership.
The initiative also reflects a shift in tone following the 12-year pontificate of Pope Francis, during which his style of governance was at times criticized as overly personal or even authoritarian. During his tenure, the Argentine pontiff convened only one extraordinary consistory, instead relying largely on a small advisory “Council of Cardinals” composed of about ten members.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
