Pope Francis poses for a selfie during a gathering of youth delegates at the Pontifical International Maria Mater Ecclesiae College in Rome, ahead of the Synod of Bishops on young people in 2018. (CNS/Vatican Media)
Ecclesial synodality is something very old and, at the same time, something very recent. It is an integral part of the tradition of the Church.
As the report of the International Theological Commission,
Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church (2018), says in the opening section: Synod is an ancient and venerable word in the Tradition of the Church, whose meaning draws on the deepest themes of Revelation.