This afternoon, in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) on the occasion of the opening of the 76^th General Assembly, taking place in Rome, at the Hilton Rome Airport, from 23 to 27 May 2022 on the theme: “Listening to the narratives of the People of God. The first discernment: what priorities are emerging for the synodal journey?”. The exchange lasted around two hours.