11 Facts About Urban Federer

Urban Federer was born on 17 August 1968 and is a Swiss Benedictine prelate who has served as the abbot of Einsiedeln Abbey and Fahr Convent since 2013.

Urban Federer is the great-great-grandson of the 19th-20th century politician Josef Zemp, who was the first member of a conservative party to be elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland.

Urban Federer attended the Einsiedeln Convent School and Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology from 1985 to 1988 before joining the Order of Saint Benedict and beginning his novitiate at Einsiedeln Abbey.

Urban Federer made his final vows on 1 November 1992 and received the sacrament of holy orders on 11 June 1994.

Urban Federer studied philosophy and theology at the abbey's theological home school and completed a licentiate degree in German studies and history at the University of Fribourg.

In 2001, Urban Federer worked as a religion, German language, and history teacher at the abbey's grammar school.

In 2010, Urban Federer was appointed as Prior and Vicar General of Einsiedeln Abbey.

Urban Federer was made editor-in-chief of the abbey's magazine, Salve, and a board member of the Einsiedler Welttheater-Gesellschaft.

Urban Federer was elected as abbot on 23 November 2013 by fifty-five voting monks.

Urban Federer's inauguration took place on 22 December 2013, performed by Bishop Markus Buchel.

In 2017, Urban Federer was appointed as a Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem by Cardinal Edwin Frederick O'Brien and was invested into the order on 18 March 2017 at Abbey of Saint-Maurice d'Agaune by Bishop Pier Giacomo Grampa.