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13.01.

Karol Wojtyla Becomes Archbishop of Krakow – 1964

It is interesting that Karol Wojtyla, before he became archbishop of Krakow, was the Titular Bishop of Ombi in Egypt.



On this day in 1964, Karol Wojtyla became Archbishop of Krakow in Poland. His elevation to the honor of Archbishop was done by the decision of Pope Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini). Karol Wojtyla was also born on the territory of the Archdiocese of Krakow, in 1920, and was ordained a priest in that archdiocese during the time of Archbishop Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha (who was in fact, by birth, a Polish prince i.e. a prince from the distinguished aristocratic family Sapieha).

It is interesting that Karol Wojtyla, before he became archbishop of Krakow, was the titular Bishop of Ombi in Egypt. Ombi is an old name for Kom Ombo, where a historically important temple dedicated to the god Sobek (Egyptian god with the head of a crocodile) is located. Kom Ombo is located on the River Nile, a little to the north from the famous Aswan High Dam.

Why was Karol Wojtyla titled a bishop of a diocese in Egypt? This occured because, in the Catholic Church, auxiliary bishops of major dioceses are awarded the title of Bishop of former historic diocese. These used to be called dioceses “in partibus infidelium”, meaning “in the lands of unbelievers”.

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