Marek Jędraszewski

Marek Jędraszewski (born 24 July 1949) is a Polish Catholic prelate who served as Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków from 2016 to 2025. He served as Metropolitan Archbishop of Łódź from 2012 to 2017. He has also been vice president of the Polish Episcopal Conference since 2014.

Jędraszewski's selection for the Kraków Archdiocese was perceived as a surprise in some quarters.

Life

Marek Jędraszewski was born in Poznań, earned his high school diploma in 1967 and then pursued ecclesial studies until 1973. In mid-1973, he received his ordination to the priesthood from Bishop Antoni Baraniak. Jędraszewski then studied philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he earned a doctorate. In 1974 he earned a bachelor's degree in theological studies in Poznań, and from 1973 to 1975 served as a parochial vicar at Saint Martin's parish in Odalnów. He received his bachelor's degree philosophy 1977. On 20 December 1979, he defended his doctoral dissertation and Pope John Paul II awarded it a gold medal.

From 1980 until 1996, he served in Poznań as an assistant professor and as the prefect of seminarians from 1980 until 1987. From 1987 until 1996, he served as the editor (chief editor since 1990) of the Catholic Guide paper, and in 1996 he did his habilitation degree in Kraków on Jean-Paul Sartre and Emmanuel Levinas. In 1996, Jędraszewski was made an associate professor in Poznań and was also made a visiting professor to the Pontifical Lateran.

John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Poznań on 17 May 1997, and he received his episcopal consecration on 29 June 1997 from Juliusz Paetz. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Metropolitan Archbishop of Lodz on 11 July 2012 and he was enthroned there on 8 September. Pope Francis appointed him Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków to succeed Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, and he was installed there on 28 January 2017.