Pierre Bürcher

His Excellency Pierre Bürcher
Titular Bishop Emeritus of Maximiana in Byzacena Bishop Emeritus of Reykjavík
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Titular Bishopric of Maximiana in Byzacena Diocese of Reykjavík
In office	Maximiana in Byzacena: 29 January 1994 - 30 October 2007 Reykjavík: 30 October 2007 - 18 September 2015 Chur: from 20 May 2019 to 19 March 2021 (as apostolic administrator)
Predecessor	Maximiana in Byzacena: Alfred Clifton Hughes Reykjavík: Joannes Baptist Matthijs Gijsen Chur: Vitus Huonder (as Bishop)
Successor	Maximiana in Byzacena: Gerardo Alimane Alminaza Reykjavík: Dávid Bartimej Tencer Chur: Joseph Maria Bonnemain (as Bishop)
Previous post(s)	Titular Bishop of Maximiana in Byzacena Auxiliary Bishop of Lausanne, Genève and Fribourg Bishop of Reykjavík Apostolic Administrator of Chur
Orders
Ordination	27 March 1971
Consecration	12 March 1994 by Pierre Mamie
Personal details
Born	(1945-12-20) 20 December 1945 (age 78) Fiesch, Switzerland
Nationality	Swiss

Pierre Bürcher (Swiss Standard German: [pjɛːr ˈbʏrçər]; born 20 December 1945) is a Swiss prelate of the Catholic Church. He was Bishop of Reykjavík, Iceland, from 2007 to 2015. He served as apostolic administrator of dioceze of Chur between 2019 and 2021.^[1][2]

Biography

Pierre Bürcher was born on 20 December 1945 in Fiesch, Valais. He was ordained a priest on 27 March 1971. After filling a variety of pastoral assignments, he spent the year 1989–90 studying clerical formation and then became rector of the major seminary of the Lausanne Diocese from 1990 to 1994.^[3]

On 3 February 1994, Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular bishop of Maximiana in Byzacena and auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Lausanne, Genève and Fribourg. He received his episcopal consecration on 12 March.^[3] His tenure as episcopal vicar for the Canton of Vaud was marked by a longstanding dispute about personnel as the authorities with financial control did not support the staffing his pastoral program required. The bishop of the Diocese eventually relieved him of his responsibilities for the Canton.^[4]

On 30 October 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Bishop of Reykjavík.^[3] John Paul had made him a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 2004,^[5] and Pope Francis confirmed his membership for another five-year term in 2014.^[6] In 2010 he participated in the Synod of Bishops on the Church in the Middle East.^[7]

Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 18 September 2015, at the age of 69,^[8] because of health problems linked to volcanic dust. In retirement he lived in Jerusalem and spent part of the year accompanying pilgrimages.^[7]

On 20 May 2019, Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chur, Switzerland.^[9]

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Iceland
• Christianity in Iceland

References

1. "MGR Pierre Bürcher nommé administrateur apostolique du diocèse de Coire – Portail catholique suisse".
2. "'Death to gays' Bishop of Chur retires".
3. "Rinunce e nomine, 30.10.2007" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
4. "Mgr Pierre Bürcher nommé en Islande". RTS (in French). 28 June 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
5. "Rinunce e nomine, 14.06.2004" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
6. "Pope Confirms Cardinal Sandri as Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches". Zenit. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
7. "Suisse: nomination d'un administrateur apostolique pour le diocèse de Coire". Vatican News (in French). 20 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
8. "Rinunce e nomine, 18.09.2015" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
9. "Resignations and Appointments, 20.05.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.

External links

• Roman Catholic Church in Iceland (in English and Icelandic)