Pope Leo grants Eastern Synods the faculty to remove Patriarchs

Key Points:

• Pope Leo XIV issued a motu proprio, Mutua concordia, amending canons 106 and 126 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches to allow the Synod of Bishops to remove a Patriarch from office through an orderly procedure if their relationship is irreparably compromised for serious reasons.
• The Synod must guarantee the Patriarch the right to a full defense before any removal decision, while the Pope retains the authority to grant assent to the Synod’s decision to ensure freedom from undue pressure.
• Canon 106 now includes provisions for the convocation of the Synod by the most senior Bishop entitled to vote if the Patriarch fails to fulfill obligations, with this power passing down the line of seniority if necessary.
• Canon 126 was modified to allow the Synod to request a Patriarch’s resignation for grave causes and, if refused, to arrange a secret ballot for removal by a two-thirds majority, subject to the Pope’s approval, which then renders the patriarchal see vacant.
• The motu proprio addresses the previously unregulated scenario of a serious rift between the Patriarch and the Synod, establishing clear procedural rules to restore communion and protect the rights of all parties involved.