Pope's document on Synod will appear after Easter, Vatican spokesman says

March 17, 2016

The long-awaited document from Pope Francis summarizing the conclusions of the Synod on the Family will not appear until after Easter, a Vatican spokesman has announced.

Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, said that the papal document would be signed on March 19, but not released on that date. He was reacting to a statement from Cardinal Walter Kasper, who had said that the document would be released within a few days.

Cardinal Kasper was apparently referring to the date when the Pope would formally sign the document. It is customary for a Pontiff to sign official documents well in advance of their public release, allowing time for translations and the preparation of printed copies.

Father Lombardi said that he anticipated release of the document sometime around the middle of April.

 

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Further information:

• Lombardi: il documento post Sinodo dopo Pasqua. Kasper: sarà rivoluzionario (La Stampa)
• Cardinal Kasper: Pope's post-Synod document is imminent (CWN, 3/16)