Pope Leo XIV Schedules Cardinal Assembly for Governance
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has summoned cardinals worldwide for a two-day meeting scheduled for January 7-8. This assembly, known as a consistory, will take place immediately following the conclusion of the 2025 Holy Year on January 6.
Meeting Purpose
The Vatican stated on Saturday that the consistory is intended to "foster common discernment and offering support and advice to the Holy Father in the exercise of his high and grave responsibility in the government of the universal Church."
Context of the Pontificate
The initial months of Pope Leo XIV's pontificate, which began with his election on May 8 as the first American pope, have involved fulfilling Holy Year obligations, including meetings with pilgrimage groups and leading Jubilee audiences and Masses. Additionally, he has addressed outstanding matters from Pope Francis' pontificate. This upcoming January consistory will allow Pope Leo XIV to focus on his own agenda for the first time since his election.
Consistory Tradition
Pope Francis had generally not utilized the consistory tradition as a primary method of governance, instead relying on a smaller group of cardinal advisers for key decisions. This consistory will be purely consultative; no new cardinals are scheduled to be installed during this meeting.