Archbishop Gänswein says “normality is returning” to Vatican life, praising Pope Leo XIV’s clarity, faith, and renewed spiritual atmosphere.
Newsroom (23/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a candid and reflective interview with EWTN News in Vilnius, Lithuania, Archbishop Georg Gänswein said the Vatican is “slowly returning to normality” under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV. The longtime secretary to the late Pope Benedict XVI expressed optimism that a new spirit of faith and balance is taking hold in Rome following last year’s papal transition.
Gänswein, now serving as the Holy See’s nuncio to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, described a profound shift in atmosphere and direction since Pope Leo assumed the papacy. “Above all, there has been a change for the better in the atmosphere,” he said, noting that his two meetings with the Pope—most recently in mid-December—left him with the impression that “faith and the Holy Spirit are indeed at work.”
Signs of Renewal
The German-born archbishop emphasized that Pope Leo’s early months have brought a “positive dimension” to Vatican life, one rooted in rediscovering enduring truths. “Pope Leo has emphasized matters that are not new but have been completely overlooked in recent years,” Gänswein explained. He described this approach as a restoration of focus rather than an innovation, a return to what he called “normality” grounded in faith.
Having served nearly two decades alongside Benedict XVI as both personal secretary and prefect of the Papal Household, Gänswein’s voice carries unique weight when assessing transitions within the Vatican. He praised Leo’s “clear line when it comes to proclaiming the faith,” observing that the new pontiff brings “joy and conviction” to his teaching.
“When you read his catechesis or sermons, you can sense that this is a man who lives and proclaims the faith with an Augustinian spirit,” Gänswein said.
On the German Synodal Way
The archbishop also spoke with frank concern about developments closer to home: the controversial Synodal Way in Germany. The national process, now approaching its sixth and final assembly at the end of January, has sparked intense debate across global Catholic circles.
Gänswein warned that certain proposals within the Synodal Path risk deepening division both within the Church and in German society itself. “Anyone who has followed the events surrounding the Synodal Path can see one important thing—that a number of the demands lead away from the faith,” he stated.
While he acknowledged the legitimate desire for reform, Gänswein drew a firm distinction between renewal and relativism. “There is no doubt that some things need change and reform. However, what has been shown so far is clear evidence that this is not about deepening the faith, but about watering it down,” he said.
Fidelity and Hope
As nuncio, Gänswein reaffirmed that any reforms must remain aligned with the Church’s enduring moral and sacramental teachings. “Changes cannot differ from the Catholic Church’s position on morality, ethics, the sacramental structure, or the authority of bishops,” he said, voicing both pastoral concern and doctrinal clarity.
“I can only hope and pray that this wrong path will simply come to an end soon,” he added, closing on a tone of caution blended with hope.
For Gänswein, Pope Leo XIV’s papacy represents not just a change in leadership, but the beginning of spiritual renewal—a “return to normality” where faith once again stands at the heart of Vatican life.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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