Five months after his election, on October 9, 2025, Leo XIV will publish the first “apostolic exhortation” of his pontificate, Dilexi te, a reflection on love for the poor.
Through an apostolic exhortation, the head of the Catholic Church invites the faithful to put certain aspects of the faith into practice. This text is addressed to all Catholics — unlike an “apostolic letter,” which often concerns a particular category of the faithful or a specific event.
An apostolic exhortation is similar to an encyclical, both of which have universal scope.
“The difference isn’t in the importance of the content, but simply in the form,” explains a Roman canonist. “It can be said that an encyclical confers great solemnity on a text, and an exhortation less solemnity, but the nuances are subtle."
In practice, an apostolic exhortation, like an encyclical, has teaching value. However, its purpose is not to define points of doctrine, but rather to encourage, guide, or deepen the spiritual and pastoral life of the faithful. It also differs from a “motu proprio,” which has legal significance and serves to establish laws or administrative provisions in the Church.
Apostolic exhortations of recent popes
Under recent pontificates, most apostolic exhortations presented the conclusions of the popes following synods of bishops — assemblies dealing with important issues for the Church. In these cases, the aim was to offer a point of reference for unity after joint reflection. When released following a synod, they are called post-synodal apostolic exhortations.
Pope Francis published three “post-synodal” apostolic exhortations and four on various themes characteristic of his pontificate (evangelization, holiness, climate, and God's merciful love). His first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (2013), is considered the great programmatic text of his pontificate.
Benedict XVI signed four post-synodal exhortations devoted to the Church in the Middle East, Africa, the Word of God, and the Eucharist.
John Paul II published 11 post-synodal apostolic exhortations and four exhortations on various themes (catechesis, the family, St. Joseph, and salvation).
The first documents of recent popes
In recent pontificates, the first major document of each new pope has generally been an encyclical, not an apostolic exhortation. Pope Francis started his teaching documents with the encyclical Lumen Fidei, completing a document (and, in fact, a trilogy of encyclicals on theological virtues) begun by his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
The German pontiff in turn had begun his major magisterial documents with Deus caritas est, the first encyclical of the trilogy.
Twenty-seven years earlier, John Paul II debuted with the encyclical Redemptor Hominis.
John Paul I’s pontificate was so short, due to his untimely death, that he didn’t have time to publish any major documents.
Paul VI, who began his pontificate during the Second Vatican Council, issued his first encyclical — Ecclesiam suam — between the second and third sessions of the Council.
