Pope Francis will preside over the Penitential Vigil for the beginning of the Synod of Synodality 2024

The Vatican shared this morning the details of the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, which will be held in Rome from October 2 to 27.

One of the most significant novelties of this year’s session is the celebration of a penitential vigil that Pope Francis will preside over on October 1 at 6:00 p.m. (Rome time) in St. Peter’s Basilica.

As stated in a press conference by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod, the Penitential Vigil will also conclude the previous retreat in which all members of the Synod will participate.

Also participating in today’s briefing were Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg and General Rapporteur of the Synod of Synodality; Bishop Riccardo Battocchio and Father Giacomo Costa, Special Secretary of the Synod; and Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication and President of the Commission for Information of the Synod of Synodality.

A penitential vigil for the sins that “cause the most pain and shame”

The penitential vigil, organized jointly by the General Secretariat of the Synod and the Diocese of Rome in collaboration with the Union of Superiors General and the International Union of Superiors General, “will be open to the participation of all, especially young people, who always They remember that the announcement of the Gospel must be accompanied by a credible testimony, which they wish to offer to the world together with us.”

Cardinal Grech also highlighted that “on the eve of an ecclesial event as solemn as the Synod,” some of the sins “that cause the most pain and shame will be mentioned, invoking the mercy of God.”

Among these sins they pointed out “the sin of abuse; that of war; and that of indifference to the drama present in the growing phenomenon of all migrations.”

The penitential celebration will be presided over by Pope Francis and will include three testimonies from people who have been victims of sins such as “abuse, the sin of war or indifference to the drama of migrations.”

Next, whoever expresses the request for forgiveness, “will do so in the name of all the baptized and, in particular, the sin against peace will be confessed; against creation, against indigenous peoples and against migrants,” explained the Cardinal.

Also mentioned will be “the sin of abuse; sin against women, family and young people; the sin of doctrine used as a stone to be thrown against others; the sin against poverty; the sin against synodality and lack of listening, communion and participation of all.”

At the end of this confession of sins, the Holy Father will address, on behalf of all the faithful, “a request for forgiveness to God and to the brothers of all humanity.”

The “ecumenical prayer” is repeated again

Furthermore, once the Synod has begun, on the night of Friday, October 11, there will be carried out, as in 2023, “the experience of an ecumenical prayer, together with the Holy Father, the Fraternal Delegates present in the Synodal Hall and several other representatives of Churches and Ecclesial Communities present in Rome.”

This ecumenical prayer has been organized by a team composed of the General Secretariat of the Synod and the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity, together with the brothers of the Taizé Community.

The date of October 11 was chosen to remember “October 11, 62 years ago, when the Second Vatican Council was solemnly inaugurated, which opened for the Catholic Church a new ecumenical stage, of which the current Synod is an expression and testimony.” , with the effective desire to help the entire Church advance on the path towards full unity,” said the cardinal.