Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland, Jun 14, 2021 / 12:00 pm
Poland’s Catholic bishops said Saturday that their fall trip to the Vatican would be a chance to renew their bond with Pope Francis.
In a statement at the end of their plenary meeting June 12, the bishops looked ahead to their “ad limina” visit to Rome, scheduled for October.
“In addition to meetings in the different dicasteries and an audience with Holy Father Francis, the bishops will celebrate the Eucharist in the four Major Basilicas of Rome,” they said.
“The visit will be a time to renew ties with the Holy Father, pray together, exchange ideas, discern and define priorities for the life and mission of the Church in Poland for the coming years.”
According to Church law, diocesan bishops must report to the pope every five years on the state of their dioceses. They are expected in the same year to travel to Rome to venerate the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and meet with the pope.
The trips are known as “ad limina apostolorum” visits, from the Latin meaning “to the threshold of the apostles.”
In practice, the gap between visits is often longer than five years. The Polish bishops’ last “ad limina” visit was in 2014.
The bishops’ October meeting with the pope will come during a period of upheaval in the Polish Church.
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