Consistory, what is it: why Pope Francis called it from the Gemelli Polyclinic

Pope Francis has been hospitalized at the Policlinico Gemelli in Rome since February 14, 2025. Every day, in the morning and in the evening, the hospital and the Holy See update the faithful and the entire world on his health conditions, which today are critical, but stable . Despite the illness (the diagnosis is bilateral pneumonia ), the Pontiff has continued to work. Pope Francis has also decided to call a consistory , a meeting that involves the cardinals. What is it exactly and why did Bergoglio want to organize it even though he is still hospitalized and his prognosis is still reserved?

The consistory (a word that derives from the Latin consistorium , meaning session, assembly, council) is a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals , formerly the Sacred College, of the Catholic Church. Usually the consistories, always convened by the pontiff, are held in the Vatican City. These meetings can be ordinary (with only the cardinals who live in Rome) or extraordinary (with the participation of all the cardinals).

There are many reasons that push the Holy Father to call a consistory, such as the appointment of new cardinals , but also to discuss other important topics. Ordinary consistories are usually called to take care of administrative procedures or to discuss canonizations and beatifications , while extraordinary consistories are held at particular moments in the life of the Catholic Church or to deal with issues that require urgent study.

Pope Francis has called the consistory not in the Vatican, but at the Policlinico Gemelli where he is hospitalized, to speak with the cardinals resident in Rome about some particular canonizations . This is not a new development, but rather dossiers that had already been prepared and that need the final ratification of the pontiff.

Bergoglio wanted to convene the cardinals, despite his precarious health conditions, to complete some issues that he clearly cares a lot about.

In recent days, the pontiff was joined at Gemelli by Cardinal Pietro Parolin , Vatican Secretary of State, and by the Substitute Edgar Peña Parra. The decrees of the Dicastery dedicated to the causes of saints were brought to the Holy Father for his signature. They are talking about the five venerables, including Salvo D'Acquisto , and two new saints, Bartolo Longo and Gregorio Hernandez .

The announcement of a consistory (the date of which is not yet known) has made Vatican experts tremble, given that there has long been talk of the Pope's possible resignation due to health problems . There is also a precedent in this regard. On February 11, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation from his pontificate right at the end of a consistory dedicated to a canonization (that of the martyrs of Otranto). The Holy See, however, has already emphasized that there is nothing to worry about, because Bergoglio has never stopped working , not even in the most difficult days of his current hospitalization.