Episcopal consecration New St. Gallen bishop is consecrated
On July 5, the new Bishop of St. Gallen will be consecrated in a service in the cathedral. Only then will the 54-year-old Beat Grögli take up his new office in full. The former cathedral pastor was elected bishop on May 22.
03.07.2025, 11:27
SDA
The consecration service in St. Gallen Cathedral, which begins at half past ten, follows a centuries-old ritual. Due to the expected high level of interest, the ceremony will also be broadcast live in the neighboring reformed church of St. Laurenzen, according to a statement from the diocese.
At the beginning, Pope Leo XIV's certificate of appointment will be read out. As the "main consecrator" (consecrator), the previous Bishop Markus Büchel will give the sermon. As three bishops are required for an ordination, the papal nuncio Archbishop Martin Krebs and Bishop Luis Manuel Ali Herrera, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Children, are present as "co-consecrators".
The sermon is followed by the actual consecration. This includes the laying on of hands and the Litany of All Saints. The newly elected bishop lies down on the floor in front of the altar, "towards the people, for he is one of the people".
Ring and staff for the new bishop
Beat Grögli is later presented with the Gospel Book. The following anointing of the head originates from the Irish-Celtic liturgy of the 6th/7th century. He then receives the various insignia of his office.
The ring is the sign of "the covenant between the bishop and the diocese". The mitre, the liturgical headdress of the bishops, is a reminder of the obligation to "strive for personal holiness".
Since the 9th century, the presentation of the crosier has also been part of the consecration, as a symbol of the task of leading the local church entrusted to him. The new bishop will then proceed to the bishop's chair in the cathedral. From this moment on, he is liturgically installed in his office and assumes all rights and duties, according to the press release.
