Pope Francis named Gregory John Hartmayer of Savannah as the seventh Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Hartmayer, served as the bishop of Savannah and  will succeed Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, who served as Atlanta’s archbishop from January 2005 to May 2019.

On the Diocese of Savannah’s Facebook page, Hartmayer posted that he was “grateful and honored by the trust and confidence” placed in him by the pope.

Hartmayer has strong Atlanta ties.

He served as the pastor of St. Philip Benizi Church in Jonesboro for 15 years and, later, at Saint John Vianney Catholic Church in Lithia Springs.

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Hartmayer  will be introduced during a news conference this morning at the Chancery of the Archdiocese in Smyrna.

Archbishop Hartmayer’s installation Mass will take place on May 6, at St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Roswell.

The Atlanta archdiocese has 1.2 million Catholics and covers 69 North Georgia counties, including all of metro Atlanta and Athens.

About the Author

Featured

Helen Gilbert places flowers on her brother Eurie Martin’s grave at Camp Spring Baptist Church in Sandersville. Her brother died eight years ago. Three former Washington County deputies are accused of causing his death and are set to stand trial Monday. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez