His Eminence Metropolitan Serafim of Germany, Central and Northern Europe has welcomed the appointment of Josef Grünwidl as the new Roman Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan of Vienna.
“With great fraternal joy, I learned of Your Eminence’s appointment as Archbishop of Vienna and of the fact that, after deep reflection, you responded with a wholehearted ‘yes’ to this calling,” the Romanian hierarch wrote to the newly appointed prelate, designated by Pope Leo XIV.
“Through your rich pastoral experience, humility, and the many gifts with which God has endowed you, you will surely lead this ancient and renowned Archdiocese in the spirit of the Gospel and of dialogical service to the modern person.”
Interconfessional Cooperation
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna is among the most prominent in Austria, both in stature and in number of faithful, and the new archbishop is noted for his commitment to ecumenical dialogue and interconfessional cooperation.
“Good relations among Christians in Austria have a long tradition,” Metropolitan Serafim wrote to Archbishop-Metropolitan Josef Grünwidl.
“Therefore, we hope that this fruitful ecumenical cooperation in Vienna and throughout Austria will continue to flourish with Your Eminence’s active support—especially at a time when our society needs, more than ever, a common and harmonious Christian witness.”
Gratitude from Romanian Orthodox Communities
In the final part of his message, the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Germany expressed gratitude to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna for providing spaces for Romanian Orthodox parishes’ liturgical activities.
“Thanks to this assistance, the pastoral, sacramental, and social-charitable work for and with the more than 150,000 Romanian Orthodox faithful in Austria can continue to grow,” said Metropolitan Serafim.
“These places of prayer are also centres of successful integration and peaceful coexistence, since many Romanian Orthodox believers live in mixed, interconfessional families.”
Earlier this year, Cardinal Emeritus Christoph Schönborn retired at the age of 80, after leading the Archdiocese of Vienna for three decades.
The new Archbishop-Metropolitan, Josef Grünwidl—born on January 31, 1963, in Hollabrunn, Austria—has personally assisted in finding a liturgical space for the Romanian Orthodox Parish in Mödling, Austria.
Photo: Metropolis of Germany
