Pope Leo XIV’s first extraordinary consistory (January 7–8 , 2026) looked, felt, and even sounded like a deliberate return to two defining instincts of Pope Francis’s pontificate: synodality and mission. But it also hinted at something more strategic than stylistic imitation. Leo is using the world’s cardinals not as stage dressing for a new reign,…
Leo’s double down bet on Synodality
Pope Leo XIV holds a consistory with cardinals from around the world at the Vatican January 7, 2025. Photo: OSV News /Simone Risoluti, Vatican Media.