Cardinal Christoph Schönborn’s long tenure as Archbishop of Vienna is approaching its conclusion. The Archdiocese of Vienna announced on Friday that Pope Francis is expected to accept Schönborn’s resignation around his 80th birthday in late January 2025, according to “Kathpress.” A farewell celebration is planned for January 18, 2025, at St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom). As of now, no successor has been named.
In an interview with the “Kronen Zeitung,” Schönborn revealed that five months ago, the Pope had informed him, via the Apostolic Nuncio, that he would remain in office until his 80th birthday on January 22. “Whether a successor will be named by then, only God knows,” Schönborn said, humorously adding, “But unfortunately, you can’t call him on the phone.” He emphasized that his decision to retire is unrelated to his health, explaining, “As long as you’re relatively healthy and of sound mind, you remain in office until 80. After that, you lose the right to vote in a papal election, the conclave.”
Schönborn had initially reached the mandatory retirement age for bishops—75 years old—in early 2020 and offered his resignation to Pope Francis. At that time, the Pope did not accept it, and Schönborn continued to serve “indefinitely.” However, it now seems likely that he will be replaced after the turn of the year, with Archbishop Franz Lackner of Salzburg speculated as a potential successor.
Ahead of his retirement, Cardinal Schönborn and the Archdiocese have invited the public to a farewell Mass on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 2:00 PM at St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The service will be a celebration of “nearly 30 years of shared journey,” according to the Archdiocese. Invitations will be sent out in the coming days to staff and companions from various sectors who have worked alongside the Cardinal during his tenure.
In addition, the Archdiocese welcomes anyone wishing to celebrate with the Cardinal to attend the Mass. Registration for the event will be available through the Archdiocese’s website starting at the end of November (www.erzbischof.wien).
