Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk, the country’s Apostolic Nuncio has been appointed the Primate of Poland.

The nomination was approved by Pope Benedict XVI who also accepted the resignation of Archbishop Henryk Muszynski.

The news was announced in Kraków by the spokesman of the Episcopate, Father Jozef Kloch. Archbishop Kowalczyk will assume his post most probably in June while the next Apostolic Nuncio is to be appointed by the Pope in the fall.

The new primate is 71 years old. He was born in Jadowniki Mokre near Tarnow, south-eastern Poland. He was ordained in Olsztyn in 1962. Since 1989 he has been serving as the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland.

Archbishop Kowalczyk negotiated the text of the Concordat agreement between the Holy See and Poland signed in 1993 and ratified in 1998 as well as participated in the preparations of the pilgrimages of John Paul II and later Benedict XVI to Poland.

According to the statutes of the Conference of the Episcopate of Poland the Primate has priority over Polish bishops. He is also ex officio a member of the Permanent Council of the Episcopate. (di)