A new synod is set to begin in the Archdiocese of Krakow this month, aimed at revitalizing the local Catholic Church. The initiative, announced by Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, comes as the church seeks to address internal challenges and strengthen its connection with the community.
Ryś, in a video message recorded in a garden near one of Krakow’s churches, noted that the ground itself, riddled with mole tunnels, had grow fertile. He used this imagery to call for renewed activity within the faith. “We need to till the soil of our Krakow Church, so that it becomes fertile again and so that the Word of God can grow in us, in our communities, in our Church,” he said.
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The formal opening of the synod will take place Saturday at 6 p.m. At the Sanctuary of St. John Paul II in Krakow. Delegations from all parishes within the Archdiocese of Krakow, as well as representatives from various communities, movements, religious orders, and seminaries, have been invited to attend the Eucharistic celebration.
Prior to the main event, introductory meetings will be held beginning Friday, March 13, led by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops. Pope Francis and Pope Leon XIV have tasked Grech with overseeing the synod process throughout the universal Church.
Synod in the Archdiocese of Krakow. Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś appeals to the faithful
Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś first announced the convocation of the diocesan synod during his homily at his installation mass in Wawel Cathedral in December 2025, and outlined its plan in a pastoral letter for Lent. The synod is intended to build upon the synod on synodality, a multi-year, multi-stage process of reform initiated by Pope Francis in 2021.
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During the first phase of the synod, running through the summer, local groups will focus on analyzing the first two chapters of the Document of the Synod. The following year, until June 2027, will be dedicated to reflecting on the remaining sections of the document. The diocesan perform is scheduled to conclude in autumn 2027.
The last synod in the Archdiocese of Krakow, convened by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, took place from 1972 to 1979. It was an attempt to interpret and adapt the teachings of the Second Vatican Council to the realities of the Krakow Church.
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