Benedikt Pfyffer from Altishofen

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Benedikt Pfyffer von Altishofen (baptized name Jost Ignaz Johann Baptist Pfyffer von Altishofen ; * February 1, 1731 in Lucerne , † May 25, 1781 in St. Urban ) was a Swiss theologian and from 1768 abbot of the Cistercian monastery of St. Urban.

Life

Benedikt Pfyffer belonged to the Lucerne patrician family of the Pfyffer von Altishofen . His father was the Grand Councilor Heinrich Ludwig Pfyffer, his mother Maria Barbara Aurelia geb. Pfyffer. From 1742 he received lessons in the Jesuit college of Lucerne. Accordingly, he embarked on a spiritual career, as did several of his siblings; so his brothers Franz Xaver and Anton Pfyffer became members of the Jesuit order . Pfyffer himself entered the Cistercian order in the monastery of St. Urban in 1749 , was ordained a priest in March 1754 and taught theology and philosophy at the local school . In 1766 he became prior and two years later abbot of the monastery.

From now on, Pfyffer was able to assert his principles of tolerance and freedom of thought and arouse scientific endeavors among the monks. So he had the teaching in the school of his monastery modernized. On his behalf, Father Nivard Krauer edited the school books of the Austrian educational reformer Johann Ignaz von Felbiger , which were used from 1778 in the monastery elementary school, which was restructured into a trivial or elementary school. This subsequently also served as the first Swiss teacher training institute, which, however, only continued to operate until 1785 due to various attacks. The Latin school was designed at the same time as an educational institution for young people from the more educated classes. It existed until revolutionary France intervened in Switzerland in 1798. Pfyffer distributed edification books among compatriots and introduced German church singing at Mette . He also suggested the establishment of the orangery in the abbot garden.

Pfyffer was also valued by the enlightened population and by non-Catholics. Nevertheless, he experienced all sorts of hostilities, but these did not prevent him from developing his ambitions. His untimely death in 1781 at the age of 50 had a detrimental effect on the improvements he had begun, and St. Urban Abbey fell into a critical state.

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personal data
SURNAME Pfyffer von Altishofen, Benedikt
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss theologian and abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of St. Urban
DATE OF BIRTH February 1, 1731
PLACE OF BIRTH Lucerne
DATE OF DEATH May 25, 1781
Place of death St. Urban Monastery