Pope planning extraordinary meeting of cardinals: report

In a brief communication sent to cardinals on November 6 and obtained by the National Catholic Register, the Vatican Secretariat of State said that “Holy Father Leo XIV has in mind to convene an extraordinary consistory for the days of January 7 and 8, 2026”.

“In due course, the dean of the College of Cardinals will send to Your Eminence the relevant letter with further details,” the note continued, before ending: “With profound reverence, coordinating office of the Secretariat of State.” 

When the Register asked Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni about the communication, he said the press office had not yet publicly “confirmed its existence” and that he did not think an announcement of such an event would be made “that far ahead”.

It is not yet certain if all cardinals have been notified of the planned gathering. Extraordinary consistories are usually special gatherings of all cardinals, convened by the pope to discuss matters of particular needs of the Church or highly important issues requiring broad consultation among the world’s cardinals. 

Held behind closed doors, the last extraordinary consistory at the Vatican took place in August 2022, under Pope Francis. Its purpose was to bring all the cardinals together to discuss the implementation and meaning of the new apostolic constitution for the Roman Curia, titled Praedicate Evangelium. The meeting also focused on the reforms of Church governance and the Roman Curia. 

St John Paul II convened six extraordinary consistories, three of which discussed issues pertaining to curial reform and the Holy See’s financial situation.

Benedict XVI held no formal extraordinary consistories during his pontificate, instead choosing to hold all-day meetings the day before consistories of new cardinals.

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Pope Leo XIV plans to hold major meeting of cardinals in January (By Edward Pentin/National Catholic Register/CNA)