The Pontiff accepted the resignation of Bishop Jurij Bizjak, 77, for reasons of age.
The new bishop of Koper is Bishop Peter Štumpf, a Salesian prelate who has been bishop of Murska Sobota since 2009. Bishop Štumpf is the current vice president of the Slovenian bishops’ conference.
In October 2023, days after Father Rupnik’s incardination in the Diocese of Koper was made public, the Pope waived the statute of limitations in the Rupnik case, allowing the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to investigate multiple charges of sexual abuse against him.
In March 2020, Father Rupnik took the place of the Preacher of the Papal Household in preaching a Lenten sermon to the Roman Curia.
Two months earlier, Rupnik had been convicted of the offense of absolving an accomplice in a sexual sin.
Rupnik was subsequently excommunicated, and the excommunication was swiftly lifted.