“Synodality” is a major theme of the Francis pontificate, but what the term means in its “Franciscan” register is not terribly clear. Vatican statements tend to talk around the meaning of the term, and bishops – many of them promotors and champions of synodality – will describe it in their own words.

But what does “Synodality” actually mean?

Historically, things called Synods have existed in some form or another pretty much since Apostolic times. The Council of Jerusalem was the first such gathering, and we know about that because it is the subject of an entire chapter in the Acts of the Apostles.