The Archbishop of Cologne is an
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
governing the
Archdiocese of Cologne
The Archdiocese of Cologne ( la, Archidioecesis Coloniensis; german: Erzbistum Köln) is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.
History
The Electorate of Cologn ...
of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in western
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...
and is also a historical state in the Rhine holding the birthplace of
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
and northern
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...
in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and was ''ex officio'' one of the
Prince-electors of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
, the
Elector of Cologne
The Archbishop of Cologne is an archbishop governing the Archdiocese of Cologne of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and is also a historical state in the Rhine holding the birthplace of Beethoven and northern Rhineland-Palat ...
, from 1356 to 1801.
Since the early days of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, there have been ninety-four bishops and archbishops of
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
. Seven of these ninety-four retired by resignation, including four resignations which were in response to impeachment. Eight of the bishops and archbishops were
coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
s before they took office. Seven individuals were appointed as coadjutors freely by the
Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
. One of the ninety-four moved to the
Curia
Curia (Latin plural curiae) in ancient Rome referred to one of the original groupings of the citizenry, eventually numbering 30, and later every Roman citizen was presumed to belong to one. While they originally likely had wider powers, they came ...
, where he became a cardinal. Additionally, six of the archbishops of Cologne were chairmen of the
German Bishops' Conference
The German Bishops' Conference (german: Deutsche Bischofskonferenz) is the episcopal conference of the bishops of the Roman Catholic dioceses in Germany. Members include diocesan bishops, coadjutors, auxiliary bishops, and diocesan administrato ...
.
Cardinal
Rainer Woelki has been the Archbishop of Cologne since his 2014 transfer from
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, where he was also Cardinal Archbishop.
Bishops and Archbishops of Cologne
Bishops of Colonia Agrippina, 88–784
All names before
Maternus II are to be approached with considerable skepticism, as little contemporary evidence is available. Maternus was present at a council in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
in 313. The bishops between Severinus and Charentius are also
apocrypha
Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...
l. Domitianus was the
Bishop of Maastricht
The Diocese of Maastricht (Latin Traiectum ad Mosam) was a Roman Catholic jurisdiction in parts of present Netherlands (including the see Maastricht) and Belgium, which has been nominally revived as a Latin titular bishopric.
History
Establishe ...
(Mosa Traiectum). The given dates of office before
Gunther are also conjectural, at best.
*Maternus I c. 88–128
*Paulinus
*Marcellinus
*Aquilinus
*Levoldus c. 248–285
*
Maternus II c. 285–315
*Euphrates c. 315–348
*
Severinus c. 348–403
*Ebergisil I ? c. 403–440
*Solatius c. 440–470
*Sunnovaeus c. 470–500
*Domitianus fl. c. 535
*Charentinus fl. c. 570
*
Eberigisil
Eberigisil (died before 593) was Bishop of Cologne, being the fifth well-attested bishop, and the first with a Frankish name. Evergislu's tenure was marked by the unrest brought about by the migration of peoples, which dominated both city and co ...
II ? c. 580–600 ?
*Remedius c. 600 ? –611 ?
*Solatius c. 611 ? –622
*
Cunibert
Cunibert, Cunipert, or Kunibert (c. 60012 November c. 663) was the ninth bishop of Cologne, from 627 to his death. Contemporary sources mention him between 627 and 643.
Life
Cunibert was born somewhere along the Moselle to a family of the loca ...
c. 623–663
*Bodatus c. 663–674
*Stephen 674–680
*Adelwin 680–695
*Giso 695–708
*Anno I 708–710
*Faramund 710–713
*
Agilolf
Saint Agilulfus (or Agigulf), Abbot of Stavelot, Bishop of Cologne and martyr, died around the year 750.
Apart from his name, very little is known about Bishop Agilulfus, and an early account written by a monk of Malmedy is deemed untrustworth ...
713–717
*Reginfried 718–747
*
Hildegar 750–753
*Bertholm 753–763
*
Rikulf
Ricolf was bishop of Cologne in the eighth century, from 763 to 784.
There was also a lord Ricolf in Flanders, who settled Ricolvingahem (now the Rijkeghem kouter near Tielt), during the reign of Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig ...
763–784
Archbishops of Cologne, 784–1238
*
Hildebold
Hildebold (died 3 September 818) was the Bishop of Cologne from 787 until 795 and the first Archbishop of Cologne thereafter.
A friend of Charlemagne, in 791 Hildebold was made the archchaplain and chancellor of the Imperial Council. At the r ...
784–818
*
Hadbold 818–842
*
Hildwin 842–849
*
Günther 850–864
*
Hugo Welf 864
*
Wilbert 870–889
*
Hermann I 890–924
*
Wigfried 924–953
*
Bruno I 953–965
*
Volkmar Volkmar is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name
*Volkmar Andreae (1879–1962), Swiss conductor and composer
* Volkmar Leimert (born 1940), German composer and dramaturg
* Volkmar Sigusch (born 1940), Ge ...
965–969
*
Gero
Gero I ( – 20 May 965), sometimes called the Great ( la, magnus),Thompson, 486. Also se was a German nobleman who ruled an initially modest march centred on Merseburg in the south of the present German state of Saxony-Anhalt, which he expande ...
969–976
*
Warin
Warin () is a town in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 19 km southeast of Wismar.
Warin is a small town with a population of under 4,000 persons. Warin is situated 104 km from ...
976–984
*
Ebergar
Ebergar (also Everger) (died June 11, 999) was the Archbishop of Cologne, Germany, from 984 to 999.
Biography
Ebergar's origins are not known. Before becoming Archbishop, Ebergar was a member of the Cathedral Chapter.
Ebergar became the Archbish ...
984–999
*
Heribert Heribert is a Germanic given name, derived from ''hari'' ("host") and ''beraht'' ("bright"). See also Herbert, another given name with the same roots.
*Charibert of Laon (died before 762), also spelled Heribert, Count of Laon and maternal grandfat ...
999–1021
*
Pilgrim
A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...
1021–1036
*
Hermann II 1036–1056
*
Anno II
Anno II ( – 4 December 1075) was Archbishop of Cologne from 1056 until his death. From 1063 to 1065 he acted as regent of the Holy Roman Empire for the minor Emperor Henry IV. Anno is venerated as a saint of the Catholic Church.
Life
He w ...
1056–1075
*
Hildholf 1076–1078
*
Sigwin 1078–1089
*
Hermann III 1089–1099
*
Friedrich I Frederick I may refer to:
* Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht.
* Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978)
* Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105)
* Frederick I, Count of Zolle ...
1100–1131
![Solingen - Schloss Burg - Engelbert 01 ies](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Solingen_-_Schloss_Burg_-_Engelbert_01_ies.jpg)
*
Bruno II von Berg
Bruno II of Berg (German: ''Bruno II von Berg'') (c. 1100 1137) was the Archbishop of Cologne from 1131 until 1137.
Bruno II of Berg was a son of Count Adolf III of Berg. In 1119 he was mentioned as a Provost in Cologne, and he became the Provo ...
1131–1137
*
Hugo von Sponheim 1137
*
Arnold I Arnold I may refer to:
Clergy
* Arnold I of Cologne (c. 1100–1151), Archbishop of Cologne 1137–1151
* Arnold I of Vaucourt (c. 1120–1183), Archbishop of Trier 1169–1183
* Arnold I van Isenburg (died c. 1197), Bishop of Utrecht 1196–1197
* ...
1138–1151
*
Arnold II von Wied
Arnold may refer to:
People
* Arnold (given name), a masculine given name
* Arnold (surname), a German and English surname
Places Australia
* Arnold, Victoria, a small town in the Australian state of Victoria
Canada
* Arnold, Nova Scotia
Uni ...
1152–1156
*
Friedrich II von Berg 1156–1158, nephew of
Bruno II von Berg
Bruno II of Berg (German: ''Bruno II von Berg'') (c. 1100 1137) was the Archbishop of Cologne from 1131 until 1137.
Bruno II of Berg was a son of Count Adolf III of Berg. In 1119 he was mentioned as a Provost in Cologne, and he became the Provo ...
above
*
Rainald of Dassel
Rainald of Dassel (c. 1120 – 14 August 1167) was Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy from 1159 until his death. A close advisor to the Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick Barbarossa, he had an important influence on Imperial po ...
1159–1167
*
Philipp von Heinsberg
Philip I () (c. 1130 – 13 August 1191) was the Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy from 1167 to 1191.
He was the son of Count Goswin II of Heinsberg and Adelaide of Sommerschenburg. He received his ecclesiastic training in Colog ...
1167–1191, he gained the title of
Duke of Westphalia and Angria in 1180, from then on held in
personal union
A personal union is the combination of two or more states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, would involve the constituent states being to some extent interlink ...
by all incumbents of the Cologne see until 1803.
*
Bruno III von Berg 1191–1192, brother of
Friedrich II Frederick II, Frederik II or Friedrich II may refer to:
* Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1194–1250), King of Sicily from 1198; Holy Roman Emperor from 1220
* Frederick II of Denmark (1534–1588), king of Denmark and Norway 1559–1588
* Fr ...
above
*
Adolf I von Berg 1192–1205, nephew of
Bruno III above
*
Bruno IV von Sayn 1205–1208 (in opposition)
*
Dietrich I von Hengebach
Dietrich I von Hengebach (born around 1150, died after 1223) was the Archbishop of Cologne. He was elected in 1208. He supported Otto of the House of Welf as Holy Roman Emperor and was excommunicated in 1212 by Innocent III. Upon his excommunic ...
1208–1215 (in opposition)
*
Engelbert II von Berg 1216–1225, nephew of
Bruno III above
*
Heinrich I von Mulnarken Heinrich may refer to:
People
* Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
*Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...
1225–1237
Archbishop-Electors of Cologne, 1238–1803
Modern Archbishops of Cologne: 1824 to date
*
Ferdinand August von Spiegel
Count Ferdinand August von Spiegel zum Desenberg und Canstein (25 December 1764, inHandbuch des Erzbistums Köln 1966, Bd. 1, S.48 Marsberg – 2 August 1835, in Cologne) was Archbishop of Cologne from 1824 until 1835.
Early career
He was b ...
1824–1835
*
Clemens August II Droste zu Fischering 1835–1845
*Cardinal
Johannes von Geissel
Johannes von Geissel (5 February 1796 – 8 September 1864) was a German Catholic Archbishop of Cologne and Cardinal from the Electorate of the Palatinate.
Life
Gessel was born in Gimmeldingen in the Electorate of the Palatinate.
After co ...
1845–1864
*Cardinal
Paul Melchers 1866–1885
*Cardinal
Philipp Krementz
Philipp Krementz (1 December 1819 – 6 May 1899) was a German Catholic bishop, created Cardinal in 1893.
Philipp Krementz was born, the son of a butcher, in Koblenz in 1837 and began to study theology in Bonn, which he continued in Munich in 183 ...
1885–1899
*
Hubert Theophil Simar 1899-1902
*Cardinal
Anton Hubert Fischer
Anton Hubert Fischer (Antonius Fischer) (30 May 1840, in Jülich, Rhine Province – 30 July 1912, in Neuenahr) was a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cologne and Cardinal.
Life
The son of a professor, he was educated at the Friedrich Wilhelm ...
1902–1912
*Cardinal
Felix von Hartmann
Felix von Hartmann (15 December 1851 – 11 November 1919) was a German prelate, who was Archbishop of Cologne from 1912 to 1919.
Life
Felix von Hartmann was born in Münster, the child of the second marriage of government official Albert von ...
1912–1919
*Cardinal
Karl Joseph Schulte
Karl Joseph Schulte (14 September 1871 – 11 March 1941), was a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Cologne from 1920 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1921.
Biography
Karl Joseph ...
1920–1941
*Cardinal
Josef Frings
Josef Richard Frings (6 February 1887 – 17 December 1978), was a German Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cologne from 1942 to 1969. Considered a significant figure in Catholic resistance to Nazism, he was elevated to th ...
1942–1969
*Cardinal
Joseph Höffner
Joseph Höffner (24 December 1906 – 16 October 1987) was a German cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Archbishop of Cologne from 1969 to 1987 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1969.
Biography
Born in Horhausen, H ...
1969–1987
*Cardinal
Joachim Meisner
Joachim Meisner (25 December 1933 – 5 July 2017) was a German cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was the immediate past Archbishop of Cologne, serving from 1989 until his resignation was accepted by Pope Francis in 2014. He previously serve ...
1988–2014
*Cardinal
Rainer Maria Woelki
Rainer Maria Woelki (; born 18 August 1956) is a German Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He
has been Archbishop of Cologne since his installation on 20 September 2014 following his election by the Cathedral Chapter to succeed Joachim Meisner in ...
since 2014
Auxiliary bishops
See also
*
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne
The Archdiocese of Cologne ( la, Archidioecesis Coloniensis; german: Erzbistum Köln) is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.
History
The Electorate of Cologn ...
*
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral (german: Kölner Dom, officially ', English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a Catholic cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of ...
References
External links
List of Bishops and Archbishops of Cologne''Archdiocese of Cologne (Erzbistum Köln)''
''Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)''
{{Electors of the Holy Roman Empire after 1356