Pope Leo grants Eastern Synods the faculty to remove Patriarchs
Pope Leo XIV issued a motu proprio granting Eastern Catholic Synods authority to remove a Patriarch when their relationship is irreparably compromised. The new canons 106 and 126 establish a structured procedure, including the Patriarch’s right to defense and the requirement for the Pope’s assent. The Synod may convoke a vote, and if a Patriarch refuses to resign, may elect a new President and submit removal to a secret ballot of two‑thirds of voting members. The reform aims to preserve communion and prevent irreparable damage within patriarchal churches, filling a gap in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.
about 1 month ago
Pope Leo XIV has amended the Eastern Catholic Churches’ canon law to allow a patriarchal synod to seek and, under defined conditions, vote for the removal of its patriarch when communion between the patriarch and the bishops is irreparably damaged for a grave cause. The removal still requires the pope’s assent, and the patriarch must be given a full opportunity to defend himself. 1 2 3
The changes were issued on August 29, 2026, in the apostolic letter Mutua concordia, promulgated motu proprio. The document amends Canons 106 and 126 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches and also applies to major archiepiscopal Churches under Canon 152. 1 2
The letter describes the relationship between an Eastern patriarch, who serves as the church’s “father and head,” and the synod of bishops as essential to the church’s unity and ecclesial life. It establishes procedures for addressing an “irreconcilable rift” when the existing canonical provisions do not provide a remedy. 1 3
A new paragraph in Canon 106 provides that, if a patriarch fails to fulfill obligations under the Eastern Code, the synod may be convened by the bishop with the greatest seniority in episcopal ordination who is eligible to vote.
If that bishop does not convene the synod, the authority passes successively to other senior, available bishops who are entitled to vote. 1 3
Under the revised Canon 126, the synod may request that the patriarch resign when it recognizes a grave cause. The synod must be convened according to the relevant canonical provisions. 1 3
If the patriarch refuses to resign, the senior eligible bishop arranges for the synod to elect a new president. The synod then holds a secret ballot on the patriarch’s removal, requiring the support of at least two-thirds of members entitled to vote. 1 3
The patriarch retains the right to present a full defense before the synod during the process. 1 2
The synod cannot independently make the removal effective. Its president must notify the pope, whose assent is required before the removal takes effect and the patriarchal see becomes vacant. 1 3
According to the letter, the pope’s role is intended to safeguard the synod’s freedom of deliberation and protect it from internal or external pressure, while preserving the prerogatives of the Apostolic See. 1 2
The measure is presented as a way to “restore the wounded communion” of an Eastern Catholic Church when the relationship between its patriarch and bishops has been seriously and irreparably compromised. It gives the synods greater authority to address situations they are considered best placed to understand and assess, while reserving a guarantor role for the Roman pontiff. 1 3
The provisions took effect immediately upon issuance, according to EWTN’s account of the apostolic letter. 2
EWTN also linked the decision to Pope Leo’s earlier emphasis on the importance of understanding and preserving the distinct traditions of the Eastern Catholic Churches. In June, he described the Christian East as a “great gift” to the universal Church and said that losing understanding of its traditions would impoverish the Church. 2*
Does the Code of Canons permit synodal removal of a patriarch?
The cited Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches does not expressly permit a synod to remove a patriarch against his will. It expressly provides for the patriarchal see to become vacant through death or resignation, with the synod competent to accept a resignation after consulting the Roman Pontiff.
On the basis of these cited provisions, synodal removal or deposition is not established as an ordinary power of the patriarchal synod. A synod may have important governing and consultative functions, but those functions cannot by themselves be interpreted as authorizing involuntary removal without a specific canonical provision.
The supplied materials do not include the text of any later amendment or motu proprio that might have changed this rule. They therefore support the conclusion that, under the cited 1990 text, resignation—not unilateral synodal deposition—is the expressly regulated means of vacating the patriarchal see.