Vatican City, Oct 3, 2008 / 09:15 am
With the historic Synod of Bishops on the Bible due to get underway this coming Sunday, Archbishop Nikola Eterovic held a press conference at the Vatican this morning to announce some details of the event, which looks to have both an ecumenical and international flair to it.
Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, who is the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, noted that the synod on "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church" differs from every other synod because it will begin with a Mass presided over by the Pope in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. All previous synods have begun in St. Peter’s Basilica.
"This will be the first time a Synod of Bishops has been opened in a basilica other than St. Peter's," said the archbishop. "The reason for this is apparent: the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly is being held during the Pauline Year."
The assembly, which will gather 253 Roman Catholic bishops, 13 Eastern Rite Catholic bishops and numerous experts, will run from October 5-26, closing with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.