Election defeated

Kremsmünster Abbey has a new abbot

The ballot box was the legendary Tassilo chalice and the vote was clear. Bernhard Eckerstorfer (53) was elected as the new abbot of Kremsmünster Abbey on Saturday. He succeeds Ambros Ebhart (72).

35 Benedictine monks went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new abbot. The legendary Tassilo chalice from the eighth century served as the ballot box. Father Bernhard Eckerstorfer (53) was elected as the successor to Ambros Ebhart (72). Eckerstorfer - who was also considered as a candidate to succeed Archbishop Christoph Schönborn of Vienna - accepted the election.

The new abbot was appointed for a term of office of twelve years.

Bernhard Eckerstorfer(Bild: Stift Kremsmünster)

Teacher and press spokesman
Eckerstorfer said in an initial statement: "Kremsmünster Abbey has shaped the region for over 1,200 years. But a great tradition always needs innovation. We must see how we as Benedictines can raise the treasure of faith anew today - first for ourselves and with the help of many other people for our church and society. In this way, Kremsmünster Abbey can continue to be and increasingly become a point of contact with God."

The newly elected 53-year-old is currently still Rector at the religious school in the Vatican. Born in Linz, he joined Kremsmünster Abbey in 2000 after studying theology. He taught at the monastery grammar school and also worked as a press spokesman.

It was as such that he became known to a wider public, especially in 2010. Back then, the monastery hit the headlines when decades of sexual, physical and psychological violence at Kremsmünster Abbey High School were uncovered. Eckerstorfer assisted his then Abbot Ambros with press and public relations work and also acted as the official press spokesman.