Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to hold an extraordinary consistory in Rome on January 7-8 as the new year and Jubilee Year conclude. The consistory is intended to foster common discernment, sharing, prayer, and offer support and counsel to the Pope in governing the universal church. The Vatican stated the event aims to strengthen communion between the Bishop of Rome and the cardinals, who collaborate in caring for the universal church. The College of Cardinals assists the pope through collegial action during consistories, which are called by the Roman Pontiff. The Catholic Church recognizes two types of consistories: ordinary and extraordinary.
about 2 months ago
Pope Leo XIV convened his first extraordinary consistory on January 7-8, 2026, in Rome, immediately following the Jubilee Year.1 2
All cardinals worldwide were summoned for this rare, closed-door gathering focused on prayer, reflection, and discernment to support the pope's governance.1 4
It marks a shift toward greater collegiality after complaints of limited consultation under Pope Francis.2 3
Consistories assist the pope through collegial action, per Canon 353.1 2
Ordinary consistories are ceremonial, often for canonizations or creating cardinals, mainly involving Rome-based participants.2 4
Extraordinary ones address grave church needs, requiring global attendance, including non-voting cardinals over 80; currently 245 total, 122 voters.1 4
St. John Paul II held six over 26 years; Benedict XVI none formally, opting for informal pre-ordinary meetings (three total); Francis one in 2014 on family, plus a 2022 curia reform session.1 2
Pre-conclave 2025 discussions highlighted cardinals' desire for more dialogue, unmet under Francis' C9 council.2 3
Pope Leo echoed this post-election, stressing cardinals as closest collaborators.1 3
The consistory strengthens communion between pope and cardinals amid church "life and mission."1
It responds to calls for regular full-college meetings, potentially yearly.3
Framed as prophetic pause in a frenetic world for eucharistic discernment, not agendas.6
Cardinals were asked to reread Evangelii Gaudium (evangelization) and Praedicate Evangelium (curia reform).2 3
Day 1 focused on synodality and evangelization/mission.6
Other themes: cardinals' governance role, synodality's future (re-balance?), curia adjustments, broad liturgy reflection for unity beyond polarizations.2 3
January 7: Registration, greetings, working groups (3 hours), plenary reports, papal address, ending ~7pm.2 3
January 8: Mass in St. Peter's (homily delivered), more groups, reports, two 45-minute open interventions, lunch with pope, final session, papal address, Te Deum.2 3 6
Synod-like small groups criticized by some for limiting plenary debate.3
Nearly full attendance expected, emphasizing global participation.1
Venezuelan Cardinal Baltazar Porras absent due to confiscated passport amid Maduro tensions.1
Belgian Cardinal Dominique Mathieu of Iran attendance unclear amid protests.1
Post-election, Leo stressed collaboration as comfort in his "yoke."1
Pre-Christmas curia address highlighted mission, communion challenges.1
January 8 homily urged fraternal love, viewing consistory as grace-filled "stop" for unity, not expertise; share pastoral burdens like loaves/fishes for world's needs.6
Signals "new governance style": more consistories, less reliance on C9 (now obsolete?).3 4
Aims for missionary-synodal church via collegiality, continuity with Francis.1 4
May clarify Leo's vision post-Jubilee, fostering "liturgical peace" and curia tweaks.3
Investigate the canonical basis for extraordinary consistories and their role in synodality
The Code of Canon Law provides the primary canonical basis for consistories, defining them as collegial gatherings of cardinals assisting the Roman Pontiff in his pastoral governance of the universal Church. Canon 353 explicitly distinguishes between ordinary and extraordinary consistories. An extraordinary consistory is convened "when particular needs of the Church or the treatment of more grave affairs suggests it," summoning all the cardinals together, regardless of their location. This contrasts with ordinary consistories, which primarily involve cardinals present in Rome for frequent grave matters or solemn acts, and which may occasionally be public. The canon underscores the cardinals' role in supporting the Pope through such assemblies, emphasizing their collegial action under his presidency. This structure ensures that extraordinary consistories address urgent or weighty issues requiring the broadest episcopal input at the universal level.
Synodality, as an essential dimension of the Church's life, involves the People of God journeying together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, expressed through listening, communion, and shared discernment across local, regional, and universal levels. Within this framework, extraordinary consistories contribute to synodality by fostering collegial discernment among the College of Cardinals in service to the Petrine ministry. Recent synodal documents highlight their role alongside other structures like ordinary consistories and the Council of Cardinals as expressions of episcopal communion assisting the Pope. Specifically, the Final Document of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops urges that synodality inspire collaboration with the Petrine Ministry and collegial discernment in ordinary and extraordinary consistories, promoting bonds of communion among cardinals of diverse cultures and backgrounds.
This integration aligns with the reform outlined in Praedicate Evangelium, which configures the Roman Curia—including consistorial gatherings—in a synodal and missionary sense, emphasizing reciprocity between the Pope, bishops, and curial institutions. Extraordinary consistories, by assembling the full College of Cardinals for grave matters, embody the "synodal nature of the Church" as a journey toward encounter with Christ, involving reciprocal listening among the faithful, bishops, and the Bishop of Rome. They serve not as decision-making bodies with deliberative power but as consultative assemblies aiding the Pope's supreme authority, thus balancing participation with the sacramental nature of ecclesial authority.
The contemporary emphasis on synodality traces back to Vatican II's collegiality and Paul VI's establishment of the Synod of Bishops, with consistories forming part of this tradition of episcopal gatherings. Proposals for renewed primacy, such as those from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, view consistories as potential steps toward permanent synodal structures at the universal level, though remaining consultative in the Catholic tradition unlike some Orthodox models. In this way, extraordinary consistories support the Church's missionary communion, where mission and communion unite to proclaim the Gospel.
In summary, the canonical basis for extraordinary consistories rests firmly in Canon 353, enabling responses to pressing Church needs through full cardinal participation. Their role in synodality lies in promoting collegial discernment and episcopal communion under the Pope, aligning with the Church's synodal journey of listening and mission as articulated in recent magisterial and synodal texts.