Christoph Schönborn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Christoph Schönborn OP |
|
|---|---|
| Cardinal, Archbishop emeritus of Vienna | |
Cardinal Schönborn in 2020
|
|
| Archdiocese | Vienna |
| See | Vienna |
| Appointed | 13 April 1995 (Coadjutor) |
| Enthroned | 14 September 1995 |
| Reign ended | 22 January 2025 |
| Predecessor | Hans Hermann Groër |
| Other posts |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 27 December 1970 |
| Consecration | 29 September 1991 by Hans Hermann Groër |
| Created Cardinal | 21 February 1998 |
| Rank | Cardinal Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 January 1945 Skalka Castle, Reichsgau Sudetenland, Germany (now Czech Republic) |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Parents | Hugo-Damian, Graf von Schönborn, Eleonore Schönborn |
| Previous post |
|
| Motto | Vos autem dixi amicos (I have called you friends) — John 15:15 |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Christoph Schönborn |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Vienna |
Christoph Schönborn (born 22 January 1945) is an Austrian Catholic leader. He served as the Archbishop of Vienna from 1995 until 2025. He was also the head of the Austrian Bishops' Conference for many years. In 1998, he became a Cardinal, which is a very important position in the Catholic Church. He is part of the Dominican Order, a group of priests.
Cardinal Schönborn is also a Grand Chaplain of the Order of the Golden Fleece, an important European order. He comes from the Schönborn family, a historic family in Europe. Many members of his family have held high positions in the Catholic Church and in government throughout history.
Contents
Family and Early Life
Christoph Schönborn was born in 1945 at Skalka Castle, which is now in the Czech Republic. He was the second son of Hugo-Damian and Eleonore Schönborn. His family, the House of Schönborn, is an old and important noble family. Throughout history, members of his family were powerful church leaders and government officials.
During World War II, his father was part of the resistance against the Nazis. After the war, his family had to leave their home in Czechoslovakia and move to Austria in 1945. His parents divorced in 1959. Christoph grew up in Schruns, a town in western Austria. He has two brothers and one sister. His brother Michael Schönborn is an actor.
Christoph Schönborn speaks several languages. Besides his native German, he is fluent in French and Italian. He also knows English, Spanish, and Latin.
Becoming a Church Leader
After finishing school in 1963, Christoph Schönborn joined the Dominican Order. He studied theology (the study of religious faith) and philosophy in different cities like Paris and Vienna. He also studied about Slavic and Byzantine Christianity.
He became a priest on 27 December 1970. He continued his studies and earned a doctorate in theology. From 1975, he taught theology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. He also helped write the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is a book explaining Catholic beliefs. In 1991, he became an auxiliary bishop in Vienna.
Archbishop of Vienna
.jpg)
In 1995, Christoph Schönborn became the Archbishop of Vienna. This means he was the main Catholic leader in Vienna, Austria. In 1998, Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal. Cardinals are special advisors to the Pope and can vote for a new Pope. Cardinal Schönborn participated in the elections for Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and Pope Francis in 2013.
From 1998 to 2020, he was the head of the Episcopal Conference of Austria, which is a group of all the Catholic bishops in Austria. He also served on several important committees in the Holy See (the government of the Catholic Church).
Cardinal Schönborn's special motto as a bishop is "I have called you friends." This comes from the Bible (John 15:15). His coat of arms includes symbols from his family.
He led the funeral service for Otto von Habsburg, a former Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, in 2011. He has also visited Iran and met with religious leaders there. Many people see him as a good leader who can handle difficult situations. He had a close relationship with Pope Benedict XVI.
His Views
Cardinal Schönborn is known for being open to discussion and finding common ground.
Working with Other Religions
He is part of the Elijah Interfaith Institute, which brings together leaders from different religions to talk and understand each other better. He has also supported efforts to build stronger relationships between Jews and Christians.
Thoughts on Islam
In 2006, he wrote about the relationship between Catholicism and Islam. He believes it's important for different religions to talk openly. In 2016, he spoke about the future of Europe. He said that Europe's Christian heritage is in danger because Europeans themselves have not valued it enough. He made it clear that this was not an attack on Islam or refugees. He said that if Islam seems to be gaining influence, it's because Europeans have weakened their own traditions.
Modern Family Life
Cardinal Schönborn has spoken about how the Church can support people in various life situations. He believes that church leaders should recognize the good in people's lives, even if their situations don't perfectly match Church rules. For example, he said that a civil marriage (a marriage recognized by the government) is better than just living together, because it shows a public commitment. He believes the Church should help people grow closer to its teachings step by step.
In 2021, he said he would not refuse to bless same-sex couples if they asked for it. He also mentioned he was not happy with a Vatican statement that did not support such blessings.
Science and Faith
He has discussed the topic of evolution and the Catholic Church's views on it.
Supporting All Catholics
In 2012, a young gay man was elected to a local church council in Vienna, but the local priest did not approve. After meeting with the couple, Cardinal Schönborn allowed the man to serve on the council. He has advised priests to be understanding and supportive when guiding Catholics who might not follow all Church teachings perfectly.
Married Priests
In 2019, Cardinal Schönborn said he was open to the idea of allowing married men to become priests. This already happens in some parts of the Catholic Church, like the Eastern Catholic Churches. However, he still believes that priests generally should not be married.
Health and Retirement
In 2019, Cardinal Schönborn shared that he had prostate cancer and had successful surgery. In 2020, he turned 75, which is the age when bishops usually offer their resignation to the Pope. However, Pope Francis decided to keep him in his role until a successor is ready. He did step down as the head of the Austrian Bishops' Conference in 2020.
Images for kids
-
Christoph Schönborn's coat of arms as a cardinal and archbishop.
See also
In Spanish: Christoph Schönborn para niños
