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Anapostolic exhortation is a magisterial document written by the pope. Some experts regard it as third in importance among papal documents, afterapostolic constitutions andencyclicals.[1] Exhortations generally encourage a particular virtue or activity. Apostolic exhortations are frequently issued following aSynod of Bishops, in which case they are known aspost-synodal apostolic exhortations. They do not defineChurch doctrine and are not considered legislative.[2]
At the conclusion of theSixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (the "Synod on Synodality") in October 2024, Pope Francis said that he would not be issuing an apostolic exhortation to commend the synod's conclusions to the Church and wider world, stating that the Synodal Document itself was sufficient for this purpose.[8]