Church - Pope meets Gänswein for the first time since transfer to Freiburg
Pope Francis has received the long-time private secretary of his predecessor Benedict XVI, Georg Gänswein, for an audience in the Vatican. This was announced by the Holy See on Wednesday. It is the first official meeting between the two since the head of the Catholic Church sent the 67-year-old German archbishop to his home diocese of Freiburg. The content of the talks during the audience was not initially known.
Gänswein had already been in Rome for several days. On 31 December, he presided over a mass in St. Peter's Basilica in honor of Benedict XVI, who died a year ago. The German Pope Emeritus, born Joseph Ratzinger in Marktl in Bavaria in 1927, died in the Vatican on 31 December 2022 at the age of 95. Gänswein was his private secretary for a long time and looked after him until his death.
The relationship between Pope Francis and Gänswein has been considered complicated for some time. The pontiff sent Gänswein from Rome to Germany in mid-June - without an office. Born in the Black Forest, he is considered an arch-conservative and previously caused a stir in the Vatican with a book. He reported on his disappointment with Francis' decisions and published the content of letters, some of which were private. In public statements, he repeatedly complained that he had no tasks and no work.
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- Georg Gänswein, formerly the private secretary of Pope Benedict XVI., hails from Bavaria, a region in southern Germany known for its strong Catholic roots.
- The transfer of Gänswein to his home diocese of Freiburg, located in the western German state of Baden-Württemberg, was orchestrated by Pope Francis.
- Amidst rumors of a strained relationship, Pope Francis and Georg Gänswein recently convened for an audience in the Vatican, marking their first official meeting since the transfer.
- Due to the private nature of their conversation, the specific topics discussed during the audience remain undisclosed.
- Gänswein has been a subject of controversy within the Catholic Church, notably for his critical book that details his disappointment with some of Pope Francis' decisions and includes the publication of private correspondence.
- The Vatican, being the administrative headquarters of the Catholic Church, has been at the center of debates involving religious personalities, including those associated with Pope Francis and Georges Gänswein.
- The Church, as a whole, has been grappling with various issues and controversies, with the roles of figures such as Pope Francis and Gänswein playing significant parts in shaping its current landscape.
- As the religious landscape evolves, the relationship between Pope Francis and Gänswein continues to be a matter of interest to observers across the world, given their prominent positions within the Catholic Church.
Source: www.stern.de
