Henrik Wigh-Poulsen, the Bishop of Aarhus Diocese, will resign from his position at the end of April 2026. The Aarhus Diocese announced his decision in a press release.

Wigh-Poulsen stated, “I have now been bishop for ten years, and in April next year I will turn 67. It is an appropriate time to stop and let someone new take over the office.” He also expressed gratitude for the support he has received.

The Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs will announce a bishop election due to the vacancy created by Wigh-Poulsen’s retirement. The Aarhus Diocese anticipates a bishop’s consecration on May 31, 2026, though no date has been set for the election yet.

Bishops in the Church of Denmark are elected within the diocese by the diocese’s priests and parish council members. To be eligible for the position, candidates must hold a theological degree from a Danish university and meet the qualifications for priesthood within the Church of Denmark.

Wigh-Poulsen will continue to serve as a royal confessor, a role he has held since 2018, even after stepping down as bishop. The royal confessor serves as a priest for the royal family and is typically responsible for conducting church services, such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals, for the royal house.

As the highest authority in ecclesiastical matters within a diocese, a bishop’s theological responsibility includes providing spiritual guidance to priests and congregations. There are ten bishops in Denmark, with one bishop assigned to each diocese, and one bishop in Greenland.

Born in Randers and raised in Djursland, where his father served as a priest, Wigh-Poulsen began studying theology in Aarhus in the 1980s. Throughout his career, he has also worked as a folk high school teacher, editor, and in advertising.