Vitus Huonder

Vitus Huonder (21 April 1942 – 3 April 2024) was a Swiss prelate of the Catholic Church. A Traditionalist Catholic, he served as Bishop of Chur from 2007 to 2019; after his retirement he joined the Society of Saint Pius X.

Biography
Vitus Huonder was born in Trun on 21 April 1942. He studied at the Pontifical Atheneum Saint Anselm and at the University of Fribourg, earning a licentiate in theology. He was ordained a priest of the diocese of Chur on 25 September 1971 and then continued his studies, earning a doctorate in theology in Fribourg. He became vicar general of Chur in 1998.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of Chur on 8 July 2007. He received his episcopal consecration on 8 September 2007 from Amédée Grab, his predecessor as bishop of Chur. His tenure proved controversial to some, as he reaffirmed orthodox Catholic doctrine in strong and uncompromising terms.

Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 20 May 2019. Huonder then chose to live out his retirement in an institute of the Society of Saint Pius X, with papal authorization, with the intention of living a quiet and prayerful life, celebrating the Tridentine Mass, and working for Sacred Tradition, the revitalization of which he saw as the only means of restoration of the Church.

On 3 April 2024, Huonder died at the age of 81 in the Sancta Maria Institute in Wangs, following a serious illness. His funeral Mass on 17 April was celebrated by Bishop Bernard Fellay, and Huonder was buried at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X in Écône next to the tomb of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.