Switzerland/Austria/Vatican: Mourning for Nuntius em. Zurbriggen
The former nuncio died unexpectedly this Sunday in his hometown of Brigg. From 2009 until his retirement in 2018, the Vatican diplomat was the representative of the Holy See in Austria.
The priest was found dead in his room on Sunday morning after a fall, it was said. The funeral will take place on September 5 at 10:15 a.m. in the parish church of Brig.
The news of the unexpected death of the archbishop made the bishop of Sion, Jean-Marie Lovey, as well as the church employees and acquaintances of the former nuncio “very affected”, emphasized the home diocese of the deceased to Vatican Radio. He was a priest “who was characterized by great cordiality and approached people openly”. Without hesitation he testified of faith in the crucified Lord wherever he worked. His episcopal motto was: “Sancta crux mihi lux” (Holy Cross, my light).
“As an experienced ambassador of the Holy Father, he saw his task as serving the church and the people in it and bringing them closer to God. In addition to his intelligence, his quick-wittedness and his mother wit helped him. Talents that he put to good use in his diplomatic service, which he also performed in politically turbulent states,” the diocese continued to pay tribute to the deceased.
Looking back on his life, Nuntius Zurbriggen once said: “I always received more than I could give”, his former companions recall. They thanked him for “his valuable contribution to the service of our church” and asked that “honorable memory be preserved for him.”
A bridge builder, human and humorous
In Austria, too, there was concern beyond the church after the news of his death. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, during his time as chairman of the bishops’ conference also the tenure of Zurbriggensfeld, paid tribute to the deceased as an experienced and at the same time cordial builder of bridges between Austria and the Vatican.
Zurbriggen was characterized by “great cordiality” and a “deep understanding of the church situation in Austria,” said Schönborn in a reaction to Kathpress. “He fully corresponded to what I said when he took office in St. Stephen’s Cathedral: that his surname Zurbriggen already refers to the bridge building between Austria and the Vatican and that this is also expressed in the first names – Stephan for the local church concerned and Peter for the universal church and the fact that there can be no national special path.”
Military Bishop Werner Freistetter and Graz Bishop Wilhelm Krautwashl were also deeply affected by Archbishop Zurbriggen’s death: Zurbriggen ordained Freistetter bishop in 2015. The former nuncio was very attached to the military diocese, recalled Freistetter, who was also personally closely attached to Zurbriggen. In addition to his diplomatic service, the deceased was also a proven pastor, “with a very human and humorous side,” says Freistetter.
friend and motivator
The Bishop of Graz, Wilhelm Krautwaschl, praised Zurbriggen as a friend and motivator. Krautwaschl recalled that Zurbriggen had personally informed him that Pope Francis had appointed him bishop in 2015. “I will remember the phone call for the rest of my life: I was able to ‘check’ the cordiality and friendliness the next day when I got to know each other personally after my promise to start this service for the diocese of Graz-Seckau,” says Krautwaschl. “He encouraged me and considered me a brother. This way of dealing with each other shaped both official and private encounters – up to and including a visit to Brig.”
Condolences from the President
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen also expressed his deep sadness at the sudden death of the long-serving Apostolic Nuncio in Austria. “As the doyen of the diplomatic corps, I got to know him as an accomplished diplomat and dedicated pastor,” the Federal President told Kathpress on Monday evening. His thoughts are with Zurbriggen’s family.
A life of service to the Vatican
Peter Stephan Zurbriggen was born on August 27, 1943 in Brig, Canton of Valais, Switzerland. After high school and subsequent military service, he entered the seminary of the Diocese of Sion in 1963. From 1965 to 1970 he also studied philosophy and theology in Rome. In 1969 he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Alfred Bengsch (1921-1979). Zurbriggen worked as a religion teacher before joining the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1975. His places of service in the following years were the nunciatures in Bolivia, the Federal Republic of Germany, Uruguay, France and in southern Africa, Lesotho, India and Nepal.
In 1993, Zurbriggen was appointed Apostolic Delegate to Mozambique by John Paul II and at the same time appointed Archbishop with the titular Archdiocese of Glastonia. Three years later, the Vatican representation in Maputo was upgraded to a nunciature. In 1998, Zurbriggen became nuncio in the Caucasus republics of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in 2001 in the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.
Nuncio in Austria
In 2009 he succeeded Archbishop Edmond Farhat (1933–2016), who was born in Lebanon, as nuncio in Austria. Several bishops were appointed during his tenure, including those of Ägidius Zsifkovics (Eisenstadt, 2010), Benno Elbs (Feldkirch, 2013), Wilhelm Krautwaschl (Graz, 2015) and Hermann Glettler (Innsbruck, 2017). Zurbriggen was also involved in the appointments of military bishop Werner Freistetter (2015) and the Salzburg auxiliary bishop Hansjörg Hofer (2017). In addition, Franz Lackner moved from Graz to Salzburg (2014), Manfred Scheuer from Innsbruck to Linz (2016) and the long-time Gurk bishop Alois Schwarz, who was insulted by the Pope on the bishopric in St. Pölten. Zurbriggen spent his retirement in his native Switzerland.
German criticism also of German bishops
In connection with the decree by Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder to hang a cross in government buildings, the nuncio from the neighboring country got involved in the discussion in 2018 with clear words. The Bavarian bishops had criticized the decree. The fact that bishops and priests, of all people, criticized such a decree made him “sad and ashamed”, said Zurbriggen at a lecture in Heiligenkreuz,” Zurbriggen also indirectly referred to the discussion triggered by the decision of the German bishops, to loud applause from his audience to take off her pectoral cross on a visit to the Middle East.
Multiple awards
Zurbriggen was the recipient of numerous state and church awards. In addition to the Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold for services to the Republic of Austria, he was honored with the Great Tyrolean Eagle, the Montfort Order of the State of Vorarlberg and the Great Decoration of Honor in Gold with the Star of the State of Styria.
His successor as Apostolic Nuncio in Austria since March 2019 is the Spanish Vatican diplomat, Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana.
(cap/pm – cs)