Quick Facts
Biography
Bruno Platter (born 21 March 1944) is a Roman Catholic priest and the 65th Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.
Early life
Platter was born in Ritten in South Tyrol, Italy. He made first profession in the Teutonic Order on 12 September 1964 and final profession on 15 September 1969. On 29 June 1970, he was ordained to the priesthood.
Priory of South Tyrol
Platter was first to the Priory of South Tyrol where he worked in the order's school in Bolzano. In 1973, he received the degree Doctor of Theology from the University of Innsbruck; his dissertation was entitled Die Begründung des Mischehenverbotes: eine theologie- und rechtsgeschichtliche Untersuchung (The Justification for the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages: A Theological and Legal-Historical Study). In 1974, he was named Rector of the Church of St. George in Weggenstein, the order's commandery in Bolzano.
Grand Master
On 26 August 2000, Platter was elected Grand Master of the Teutonic Order at the general chapter in Lana, South Tyrol. On 29 October 2000, he received his abbatial blessing from Dr. Wilhelm Egger, Bishop of Bolzano-Brixen. On 24 August 2006, he was re-elected as grand master at the general chapter in Vienna. In July 2010, he was a guest of the President of Poland at the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald.