Just over a month before the first extraordinary consistory of the pontificate of León XIV, various signs point to the meeting of January 7 and 8 not being a mere protocolary act, but the beginning of a significant change in the way of governing the Church. According to Pelican+, the encounter symbolizes a recovery of the traditional style of pontifical government, after a long period in which the Vatican operated under more centralized structures marked by the personal figure of Pope Francis.
The upcoming consistory will be the first that León XIV faces without the agenda inherited from the Jubilee, which will allow seeing his own priorities. Its mere convocation already represents a contrast with the previous pontificate, during which these events were scarce, highly controlled, and of limited scope. Now, cardinals and observers expect January to inaugurate a more collegial dynamic and less dependent on the pontiff's immediate circle.
Reforms in the Curia: restoration of traditional competencies
In recent weeks, the Pope has undertaken adjustments in the structure of the Curia Romana, reversing several provisions implemented by his predecessor. Among the most relevant changes is the restitution of certain competencies to the Secretaría de Estado, which had been weakened in recent years and relegated in favor of a more personalistic and variable model of government.
León XIV has emphasized that each dicastery must take full responsibility for the matters proper to its scope, reaffirming the traditional autonomy of the curial offices. This orientation aims to correct the recent trend toward the dispersion of competencies and the irregular concentration of decision-making in the figure of the pontiff.
Another highlighted aspect is the new obligation that matters presented directly by the faithful to the Holy See be studied not only by the competent dicastery, but also by the corresponding ecclesiastical ordinary. This change strengthens the Curia's role in attending to the laity and, at the same time, prevents certain issues from being diluted in intermediate offices.
First personnel changes: signals toward a greater reordering
In addition to the structural modifications, the Pope has initiated a reconfiguration of positions. In his pontifical household, he has appointed an Augustinian as vice-regent of the Prefecture and has elevated his secretary to the rank of monsignor.
In the curial sphere, on November 27 he appointed Bishop Marco Mellino as adjunct secretary of the Dicasterio para los Textos Legislativos, a lateral rather than ascending position. Mellino, who had been secretary of the commission for the reform of the General Regulations of the Curia and secretary of the well-known Consejo de Cardenales created by Pope Francis, thus leaves one of the most influential bodies of the previous pontificate. The move is interpreted as a clear signal that León XIV prudently evaluates the inheritance of the Council and recalibrates its weight within the new government.
The fact that Francis never incorporated Cardinal Robert Prevost—despite his rapid rise—into the Council of Cardinals, now adds to Mellino's replacement, configuring a perceptible shift with respect to the governance model of the Argentine pontiff.
Pending dicasteries and the Fernández question
A decisive element of the “Leonine Vatican” will be the definitive designation of the dicastery prefects. For now, those appointed by Francis remain in their positions provisionally until the Pope makes substantive decisions. Among the most watched figures is Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicasterio para la Doctrina de la Fe, whose management has been marked by controversies and criticisms, especially after the recent note Mater Populi Fidelis, which unleashed an unnecessary debate within the Church.
Although Fernández and the dicastery are still working on two documents inherited from the previous pontificate, many Vatican experts doubt that Pope León XIV will keep the Argentine cardinal until the end of his term in 2028, due to his controversial profile and the general desire to steer the Doctrine of the Faith toward a more stable and less conflictive stage.
A different style: less noise, more direction
The general impression is that León XIV advances with discretion but with a clear course. He does not imitate the accelerated pace and constant intervention that characterized Francis, but he has already moved key pieces. The January consistory will be the moment when these changes begin to consolidate visibly and when the new pontificate finally defines its own lines of government.