MUËLLENER, JOHANN. - Missionary, b. in Bremen (Germany) on 4 Oct. 1673, d. in Szechwan on 17 Dec. 1742. He studied in Rome as a student of Propaganda Fide and was ordained priest in 1696 or 1697. Sent to China, he embarked from Venice with Luigi Antonio Appiani (v.), a Vincentian missionary (12 May 1796), by whom he was received into the Congregation of the Mission at Madras (25 Jan. 1699). Landing at Canton on 14 Oct. of that same year, he worked in Szechwan. Later expelled twice (1706 and 1707) and exiled to Macao (12 Dec. 1708), again expelled (8 Dec. 1709), he took refuge in Batavia.
Returning to Canton in 1710, he resumed his journey inland in March 1711, taking with him two young men to educate them for the priesthood. He remained for a long time at Chang-tehfu, where he founded a flourishing Christian community, but was unable to establish there, as he wished, a seminary, which was later founded, after great sacrifices, at Chengtu. In April 1712 he reached Szechwan, of which in 1715 he was elected vicar apostolic. At his death Szechwan counted more than 9,000 Christians.