Gregor Maria Hanke

Gregor Maria Hanke OSB (born 2 July 1954 as Franz Maria Hanke)

Bishop Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of Eichstätt on 14 October 2006. On 2 December he received his episcopal consecration from Ludwig Schick, archbishop of Bamberg, and was installed.

As Bishop of Eichstätt, Hanke was ex officio Grand Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. After several years of conflict with its leadership, the crisis was resolved by ending Hanke's role and, as of October 2010, assigning those roles to the head of the Freising Bishops Conference. ("Hanke throws the chancellor out and refuses to appoint the elected president, Ulrich Hemel.) A little later, he hands over responsibility for the university."

Pope Leo XIV accepted his resignation on 8 June 2025. Pope Francis had accepted it in May without setting a date for it to take effect. Hanke said he wants to return to pastoral work outside the diocese, eschewing his bishop's insignia and title, and eventually return to monastic life.

Selected writings Der Odenkanon des Tagzeitenritus Konstantinopels im Licht der Beiträge H. Schneiders und O. Strunks – eine Relecture; in: Hans-Jürgen Feulner, Elena Velkovska, Robert F. Taft S.J. (ed.): Crossroad of Cultures. Studies in Liturgy and Patristics in Honor of Gabriele Winkler; Orientalia Christiana Analecta, 260; Pont. Ist. Orient, Rome, 2000; p. 345–367. Vesper und Orthros des Kathedralritus der Hagia Sophia zu Konstantinopel: eine strukturanalytische und entwicklungsgeschichtliche Untersuchung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Psalmodie und der Formulare in den Euchologien (Jerusalemer Theologisches Forum 21,1–2), Aschendorff, Münster 2018, Projekt Netzwerk Umwelt: Erarbeitung und Präsentation einer Umweltausstellung zum Thema „Glauben und Handeln“ in der Benediktinerabtei Plankstetten; Berching, 2004. Achtsam-Genügsam-Nachhaltig: Benedikt und Ökologie; in: Notker Wolf (ed.): Die Botschaft Benedikts; Münsterschwarzach, 2008.