Kowalczyk, born in 1938 in Jadowniki Mokre near Tarnów, served as Apostolic Nuncio to Poland from 1989 to 2010 and as Archbishop of Gniezno and Primate of Poland from 2010 to 2014.
A close collaborator of St. John Paul II, he oversaw the re-establishment of the Military Ordinariate in 1991 and negotiated the 1993 concordat between the Holy See and Poland.
The church representative was influential in episcopal appointments in Poland for over two decades. News of his death was announced on the Archdiocese of Gniezno’s website and marked by the tolling of St. Adalbert’s bell.
Controversies surrounding Archbishop Kowalczyk
According to the Polish state news agency PAP, during his career Archibishop Kowalczyk faced criticism from figures such as the then-living priest Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zalewski, who accused him of covering up sexual abuse scandals in the Polish Church and questioned his role in episcopal appointments, notably the nomination of Bishop Juliusz Paetz.
Kowalczyk himself maintained that homosexual tendencies were not sinful and did not exclude anyone from the Catholic community, while firmly opposing same-sex marriage. He was also seen as a cautious voice regarding political influence in religious media, notably the far-right Radio Maryja, and emphasized unity in public debates, denouncing hate speech and political manipulation of religious symbols.
Despite occasional media speculation, the Institute of National Remembrance found no evidence of collaboration with the communist-era secret police, and Kowalczyk consistently denied any involvement.
(mp)
Source: IAR/PAP/PR24/X/@prymasowska