Bishop Varden to preach Lenten retreat to Pope, Curia
February 05, 2026
The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced that Bishop Erik Varden, OCSO, of Trondheim, Norway, will preach the Lenten spiritual exercises to Pope Leo XIV and the Roman Curia.
The Trappist prelate is the president of the Scandinavian Bishops’ Conference and the author of books published by Bloomsbury, Ignatius Press, and Word on Fire. A contributor to First Things and The Pillar, Bishop Varden was interviewed on the Catholic Culture Podcast in 2024.
The theme of the Lenten retreat is “Enlighted by a hidden glory.”
The retreat, as is customary, will take place during the First Week of Lent, beginning on Sunday evening and concluding on Friday evening. This year, the retreat will take place in the Apostolic Palace.
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