On the 21 May 2021 at Midday, the Press Office of the Holy See in the Bollettino released the documents which announced the upcoming Synod of Bishops and elaborated how it is going to take place. The celebration of the Synod of Bishops will take place in Rome in October 2023, but the process of consultation starts with an opening celebration in October 2021. The Official Opening with the Holy Father will take place in the Vatican on the 9-10 October 2021. This will be followed by the Official Opening in each local church on Sunday 17 October 2021.

This latter phase of the local churches will proceed until April 2022. The objective of this phase is “to consult the People of God (cf. Episcopalis Communio, 5,2) so that the synodal process is carried out through listening to all of the baptised, who are the subject of the sensus fidei – infallible – in credendo.”

We will know precisely the purpose of this synod when The General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops sends a Preparatory Document, accompanied by a Questionnaire and a Vademecum (guide) with proposals for consultation in each local church.

Consult the Synod Website for the explanation of the whole process from the opening to the closing celebration.