Keystone-SDA
Beat Grögli became the twelfth bishop of Saint-Gall on Saturday, during a solemn cult at the city’s cathedral. He succeeds Markus Büchel, who retired.
(Keystone-ATS) The consecration ceremony followed a partly secular ritual. Due to the great interest, it was also broadcast live in the neighboring reformed church of Saint-Laurent.
The consecration includes the imposition of the hands and the litanies of the saints, the newly elected bishop lengthening on the ground in front of the altar.
Subsequently, Beat Grögli received the different insignia of his function, including a ring, the miter and the butt. It is only after the consecration that he is considered to be liturgically installed in his function and that he can exercise all the rights and duties of a bishop.
The current bishop of Saint-Gall, Markus Büchel, presented his resignation to the Pope after his 75th anniversary in August 2024. He had been bishop since 2006.
The search for a successor took place according to a complex procedure. At the end of it, the new Pope had to approve the proposal of the chapter of the Cathedral of Saint-Gall. Finally, the election of Beat Grögli, 54, was officially announced on May 22.
