Roman Catholic Cardinal. Kraków born Franciszek Macharski was the youngest of the three children of a barrister. Entering the Major Metropolitan Seminary of his native city, later frequenting the Jagiellonian University, he was ordained priest at the Święty Franciszek Basilica of Kraków by Cardinal Adam Sapieha on April 2, 1950. For six years he served as vicar in the parish of Kozy, Bielsko-Biała before being sent over to Switzerland to further his studies at the University of Fribourg, earning a doctorate in pastoral theology. Appointed to the teaching staff of the said Major Metropolitan Seminary of Kraków, of which he was ultimately appointed rector in 1970, he held this position until being appointed archbishop of the metropolitan see of Kraków on December 29, 1978 by Pope John Paul II, which see was vacated following the latter's election to the papacy the previous October. Receiving his episcopal consecration a week later at Saint Peter's Patriarchal Vatican Basilica from the Pontiff himself, the latter created him cardinal priest in his first consistory held on June 30 that year with the title of San Giovanni a Porta Latina. While still archbishop of Kraków, the then Cardinal Karol Wojtyła had named Macharski canon of the metropolitan chapter of the Wawel cathedral. Holding one of the top positions in Poland's Catholic Church in an era when the latter played a leading role in opposing the Communist system, Cardinal Macharski's position in office lasted until June 3, 2005, shortly after Pope John Paul II's demise and was succeeded by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Pontiff's longtime aide. Five days short of his death, Pope Francis paid an unscheduled visit to the ailing cardinal, already in a coma, at the University Hospital, while in Poland for the World Youth Day 2016 celebrations. Having sustained severe injuries after falling during one of his walks, Macharski went through a successful surgery of stabilising the occipital and cervical area of his spine but never regained consciousness. A man of great culture who was both a scholar and a writer, across his lifetime the Cardinal dedicated particular care to promoting priestly and religious vocations and to the theological and spiritual formation of future priests.