Michalik died on Sunday after 61 years as a priest, including 39 years as a bishop, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
He served as head of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland, from 2004 to 2014, completing two terms, and was its deputy head from 1999 to 2004.
From 1993 to 2016, he led the Przemyśl Archdiocese in southeastern Poland.
Michalik was also active internationally, serving as vice president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences from 2011 to 2014.
Local authorities in the city of Przemyśl paid tribute to him as an "outstanding cleric and moral authority," noting that he was an honorary citizen of the city and had served the local community for more than two decades.
“His passing is a great loss for the Church, the residents of Przemyśl and all those who had the honor of meeting him,” city officials said in a statement.
Regional authorities in the southeastern Podkarpackie province described Michalik as a spiritual and moral authority for generations of Poles, saying his service had left a lasting mark on both the Church and the region.
Archbishop Wojciech Polak, the Prime of Poland, said one of Michalik’s key priorities was fostering unity within the Church and society.
He added that during Michalik’s tenure, landmark reconciliation documents were signed, including "a joint message to the peoples of Poland and Russia" and a declaration between the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic churches in Poland and Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP