Archbishop wanted

Process for Schönborn succession comes to a standstill

Archbishop Christoph Schöborn is leaving office.(Bild: APA/EXPA/MICHAEL GRUBER)

The decision on who will succeed Archbishop Christoph Schönborn in Vienna could be delayed. According to APA information, one candidate is likely to have already declined the position. The Pope has the final say.

According to the "Kleine Zeitung" newspaper, the three candidates put forward by the nunciature in Austria included Innsbruck diocesan bishop Hermann Glettler, former Caritas president Michael Landau and the rector of the Pontifical Athenaeum University in Rome, Bernhard Eckerstorfer.

Bishops are appointed by the Pope alone. Prior to this, the nuncio - i.e. the Vatican's official ambassador in the country - must submit a three-person proposal to the Holy See. A separate congregation within the Vatican is responsible for selecting and assessing the candidates for bishops. It also proposes the bishops, who are then usually appointed by the Pope. The appointment is then announced in the papal "Bollettino".

A farewell service
As a rule, the Congregation of Bishops meets once a month. In church circles, the decision on Schönborn's successor is expected at the beginning of January. Schönborn had already reached the age limit for bishops of 75 at the beginning of 2020 and offered his resignation to Pope Francis at the time. However, the head of the church did not accept. The final resignation is now expected to take place around Schönborn's 80th birthday at the end of January 2025, and a farewell service has already been scheduled.

What has now become of the nunciature's three-person proposal remains a mystery. In church circles, it is said that at least one candidate is not available. In addition, the new archbishop should ideally have experience in a diocese, which would speak in favor of Glettler. The media-savvy Eckerstorfer, on the other hand, would bring a great deal of charisma to the office.