Pope Francis is expected to accept the archbishop’s resignation around his 80th birthday (January 22), it said Announcement from Friday. The service in the cathedral is intended to thank Schönborn at the end of an almost 30-year journey together.
Archbishop of Vienna since 1995
The invitations for the ceremony, which will also be broadcast on television, will reportedly be sent out in the next few days. Those interested can also register via the archdiocese’s website from the end of November.
Schönborn has held the office of Archbishop of Vienna since 1995. He has already significantly exceeded the age limit for bishops. According to canon law, they must offer their renunciation of office to the Pope at the age of 75. This often leaves the heads of important dioceses in office for some time.
High profile representative of the church
This also applies to Francis’ Viennese confidant. A few months ago, in an interview, the cardinal referred to the words of the head of the Catholic Church: “Pope Francis has officially informed me that I should celebrate my 80th birthday – which is at the beginning of 2025 – while still in office.”
As a theologian, ecumenist and international mediator, Schönborn is one of the most prominent representatives of the Catholic universal church. From 1998 to 2020, the Dominican was chairman of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference.
The Archdiocese of Vienna includes the federal state of Vienna and the eastern half of Lower Austria. Due to the particular size and the different structure of these areas, the diocese is divided into three regions, the vicariates, for each of which an episcopal vicar is responsible as the bishop’s deputy.
