The Pillar

Home
About
News
Pillar Posts
Analysis
Interviews
Explainers
On Leo's Desk
Data
Pillar Columns
Starting Seven
The Pillar Podcast
Sunday School
Look Closer
The Pillar TL;DR
Church in Germany

Who is the German bishops’ new leader?

Who is Bishop Wilmer? And why was he chosen to succeed the controversial Bishop Georg Bätzing?

Luke Coppen
Feb 24, 2026
∙ Paid

When Bishop Heiner Wilmer gave his first public address as chairman of the German bishops’ conference Tuesday, his opening words were “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of goodwill.”

New German bishops’ conference chairman Bishop Heiner Wilmer attends a press conference on Feb. 24, 2026, in Würzburg. Credit: Deutsche Bischofskonfe…

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2026 The Pillar · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture