The Acts of the Apostles chronicles the growing Church who had to address the hotly debated question of admitting Gentile converts to the new faith (cf. Acts 15). The early Church convened in Jerusalem to discuss this matter. After much discussion, a decision was reached: Gentile converts were no longer required to be circumcised or follow various aspects of the Mosaic law. This gathering has been called the “Council of Jerusalem” and is seen as a prototype for all meetings of bishops when decisions needed to be made for the good of the Church.

The Synod of Bishops has its roots in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). It became apparent during VCII that there was a need for greater collaboration among bishops worldwide and the Pope in guiding the Church. 

Pope Paul VI thus established the Synod of Bishops in 1965 through the “Motu Proprio” Apostolica Sollicitudo. This allowed bishops to periodically come together to discuss important issues for the Church and offer advice to the Pope. Over the years, the form of the Synod has evolved.

The Synod on Synodality opened on October 9, 2021. At his opening remarks, Pope Francis repeated the words that Pope St. John XXIII gave at his address for the Solemn Opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council on October 11, 1962: “It is necessary first of all that the Church should never depart from the sacred patrimony of truth received from the Fathers. But at the same time she must ever look to the present, to the new conditions and new forms of life introduced into the modern world which have opened new avenues to the Catholic apostolate”. Pope Francis emphasized the gaze of Jesus which blesses and welcomes as the starting point for this Synod. It was an invitation to “walk together: humble, fervent and joyful... open to the Holy Spirit, the protagonist.”