Rome CNN —Pope Francis will allow women to participate and vote for the first time at an upcoming meeting of Catholic bishops in October. The meeting, known as a synod, normally only allows bishops to vote. Pope Francis on Wednesday approved guidelines that will expand participation and voting to include lay people and women. The changes allow for the participation of 70 non-bishop members, of whom 50% should be women, according to the Vatican’s synod office. A synod is a gathering of bishops which takes place at the request of the pope to discuss a particular topic.

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