Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków, Poland, following the retirement of Archbishop marek Jędraszewski. The move, announced today, is being widely viewed as a potential turning point for the historically influential archdiocese, long a center of Polish Catholicism [[1]]. Observers suggest the appointment could signal a shift away from the more conservative tone set by Jędraszewski, whose decade-long tenure was marked by controversy and perceived division within the community.
Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, the current Metropolitan Archbishop of Łódź, as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków. The move comes as Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski has retired.
The appointment signals a potential shift in tone for the influential Kraków archdiocese, a historically significant center of the Catholic Church in Poland. Damian Jankowski, a commentator for “Więź” magazine, suggested the change marks “the end of an era” under Jędraszewski and a possible return to the archdiocese’s 20th-century roots.
Speaking on “TOK 360,” Jankowski recalled specific moments from Jędraszewski’s tenure, including what he described as “political sermons on Good Friday and the unfortunate ‘rainbow plague.’” He noted that in recent years, many felt excluded by the archbishop’s rhetoric. “In recent years, there were entire groups who felt that Archbishop Jędraszewski was pushing them out of the Church or even verbally persecuting them,” Jankowski said.
“Kraków has breathed a sigh of relief, at least a significant part of the community,” Jankowski assessed. He indicated that celebrations weren’t limited to publications like “Tygodnik Powszechny” or “Znak.” “Archbishop Jędraszewski alienated people, among other things, with his way of managing the diocese – a ‘courtly despotism,’” the commentator explained.
Jankowski also shared a joke circulating in Łódź when Cardinal Ryś replaced Jędraszewski as Metropolitan Archbishop there. “It was said that priests were having problems with their spines, because under Jędraszewski they walked hunched over, and Ryś told them to straighten up quickly,” he recounted, suggesting a similar dynamic might unfold in Kraków.
Jankowski now hopes for “a dialogue with reality.” He highlighted the differences between Archbishop Jędraszewski and Cardinal Ryś. “The new Metropolitan of Kraków may be more open to contact with people and initiatives that are just waiting for a helping hand,” the “TOK 360” guest stated.
Źródło: TOK FM
