Quinquennial Visit Ad Limina

In the Roman Catholic Church, a quinquennial visit ad limina or more properly, quinquennial visit ad limina apostolorum or simply an ad limina visit means the obligation of residential diocesan bishops and certain prelates with territorial jurisdiction (such as territorial abbots), of visiting the thresholds of the [tombs of the] Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, and of meeting the Pope to report on the state of their dioceses or prelatures. In 1585 Pope Sixtus V issued the Constitution Romanus Pontifex, which set forth the norm for visits ad limina. On December 31, 1909, Pope Pius X stated in a Decree for the Consistorial Congregation that a bishop needs to report to the pope an account of the state of his diocese once every five years, starting in 1911. The current requirements for the ad limina visit is the subject of can. 399—400 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and can. 208 of the 1990 Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches.

Source

• Visits ad limina - Catholic Encyclopedia