Cardinal Ryś appointed by the Pope as the Metropolitan of Kraków
A friend of our region and the first laureate of the Mikołaj Kopernik Fides et Ratio Award established on the initiative of Marshal Piotr Całbecki, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, until now the Metropolitan Archbishop of Łódź, was today (26 November) appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków.
“I received this information with great joy. Cardinal Ryś, through his entire life, shows how to combine faith with scholarly inquiry, how to seek what unites rather than divides. He is a wise pastor and an outstanding scholar who does not shy away from difficult and painful topics. From the beginning of his priestly journey, he has been an indefatigable promoter of the thought and teachings of St. John Paul II, the patron of our voivodeship. I congratulate His Eminence and wish him every success!” – says Marshal Piotr Całbecki.
Cardinal Ryś, one of the most recognizable Polish clergymen, a charismatic pastor, a respected medieval historian specializing in the history of the Catholic Church, and an author of books, serves within the Polish Bishops’ Conference as chair of the Council for Religious Dialogue and the Committee for Dialogue with Judaism. He is also a member of the Permanent Council, the Council for Ecumenism, the Council for Culture and Cultural Heritage Protection, and the Council for the Family. Additionally, he is a member of the Dicastery for Bishops and the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments of the Roman Curia. His episcopal motto is “Virtus in infirmitate” (“Strength in weakness”).
The Archdiocese of Kraków is considered the second most important archdiocese in Poland (after Gniezno). Among Cardinal Ryś’s predecessors in the office of Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków were Adam Sapieha, Karol Wojtyła, and Franciszek Macharski.
Press Office of the Marshal’s Office
26 November 2025