ROME — The friars of the Province of St Albert the Great in Austria and Germany have elected fr. Elias Hieronymus Füllenbach, OP, as Prior Provincial. The election was confirmed by the Master of the Order, fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III, OP, on July 3.
Born in Düsseldorf in 1977, fr. Elias entered the Order of Preachers in Worms after completing his high school studies in 1996. He studied Catholic theology, history, and art history at the University of Bonn, with a period of study in Oxford. He subsequently pursued Jewish Studies at the Martin Buber Institute of the University of Cologne. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2006.
Fr. Elias served as prior of the Dominican convent in Düsseldorf from 2014 to February 2024 and most recently as subprior. He has served in pastoral ministry in Düsseldorf, as archivist of the Province, and as director of the Institute for Research into the History of the Dominican Order in the German-speaking World.
His academic work has focused especially on Christian–Jewish relations, particularly during the Nazi era. He has also served in several organizations dedicated to Christian–Jewish dialogue.
He succeeds fr. Peter Kreutzwald, OP, who resigned the office for health reasons. Upon his election, fr. Elias said in a statement, “I would like to thank the brothers most sincerely for their trust and will endeavor to fulfil my duties to the best of my knowledge and belief.”
The Province of St Albert the Great, erected in 2024, unites the Dominican friars in Austria and Germany under the patronage of the great Dominican scholar, bishop, and Doctor of the Church. Today the province has 121 members serving in Austria, Germany, Thailand, Switzerland, Hungary, Israel and Italy.
The Dominican Family gives thanks for the election of fr. Elias and prays that the Holy Spirit will strengthen him in this new service of leadership, fraternity and preaching.
