On November 5, 2022, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed His Excellency and Most Reverend Father László Német, President of the Saint Cyril and Methodius International Bishops' Conference, Bishop of Nagybecskerek, as Metropolitan Archbishop of Belgrade.
László Német was born on September 7, 1956 in Hódság (Odžaci, Subotica Diocese) in today's Serbia. He graduated from the Paulinum Episcopal Classical High School in Subotica, and in 1977 he entered the Society of the Divine Word (Societas Verbi Divini), i.e. the Verbite missionary order. He completed his higher monastic, philosophical and theological studies in Pieniężno (Poland). On September 8, 1982, he took his perpetual vows as a monk in Pieniężno, and on May 1, 1983, he was ordained a priest in Hódság.
He studied in Rome, was a university chaplain in the Philippines, taught in our country, Poland, Croatia and Austria, but served at the permanent representation of the Holy See in Vienna, which works alongside international organizations. He was the provincial head of the Verbite order in Hungary for three years, and the secretary of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference (MKPK) for two years.
On April 23, 2008, XVI. Pope Benedict appointed him county bishop of Nagybecskerek. On July 5, 2008, he was ordained a bishop in the cathedral of Nagybecskerek.
From 2016, he is the president of the Saint Cyril and Methodius International Bishops' Conference. He began his second presidential term in 2021.
On November 5, 2022, Pope Francis transferred him from the episcopate of Nagybecsekrek and appointed him Metropolitan Archbishop of Belgrade.
Source: MKPK Press Department/ Hungarian Kurír
Photo: Zita Merényi
