Bernhard Müller (abbot)

Bernhard Müller (born 1557 in Ochsenhausen; died 18 December 1630 in Rorschach) was prince-abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall from 1594 until 1630.

[2] He also instituted reforms in other monasteries such as Fulda and Engelberg by sending conventual friars from the Abbey of Saint Gall as administrators.

[1] In 1602, Müller founded the Swiss Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation with his colleagues from Einsiedeln, Muri, and Fischingen.

[1] In 1613 the office of a judicial vicar was established in Saint Gall in a concordat with Konstanz.

At the same time, parishes within the abbey's region were removed from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the bishop of Konstanz.

P. Jodok Metzler became the first judicial vicar of the Princely Abbey of Saint Gall on 22 August 1614.

[1] During Bernhard's tenure, the economic position of the abbey improved and enabled the acquisition of several properties.

Other projects commissioned by Müller included the construction of the Otmarskirche, which was consecrated in 1628, as well as the renovation of three different castles.