Lebus Cathedral Chapter

The cathedral chapter Lebus supported the bishops of Lebus in their activities. It existed in Lebus from 1124 to 1276 , then in Göritz until 1326 , again in Lebus from 1254 and in Fürstenwalde from 1373/85 to 1540 .

structure

The cathedral chapter consisted of secular clergymen (secular canons) . These did not belong to any order and were therefore not bound by any order rules. It elected the bishop and assisted him in spiritual and administrative matters. It was directed by a provost . About eight clergymen belonged to the cathedral chapter in the 13th and 14th centuries, the exact number is not known.

In the early days the canons were often of Polish origin, in the 13th century they were Silesian and from the 15th century they were of Brandenburg origin.

history

No mentions of the cathedral chapter have survived from the early days of the Lebus diocese since 1124/33. It probably existed, however, and the members stayed elsewhere due to the uncertain political situation. In 1226 a cathedral chapter of Lebus was mentioned for the first time in the inscription of a seal, then since 1229 also in documents.

After 1249 there was again no mention of a chapter in Lebus, after the territory had passed into the secular possession of the Archdiocese of Magdeburg . Most of the canons stayed in Frankfurt an der Oder during this time .

In 1276 the seat of the cathedral chapter was relocated to Göritz east of the Oder. After this residence was destroyed in 1325 by the troops of the Brandenburg margrave Ludwig I, the clergy lived again in different places in Silesia and Greater Poland . They have been able to return to Lebus since 1354, after the city and the Lebus castle had been handed over again to the Lebus diocese. New Canon Curia were created and the construction of a new cathedral began. In 1373 the houses of the canons were destroyed after the conquest of Lebus by Emperor Charles IV and the cathedral was desecrated as a horse stable. The cathedral chapter then began to move to Fürstenwalde, which was completed in 1398.

After 1540 the cathedral chapter was dissolved in the course of the Reformation in Brandenburg.

literature

• Peter Neumeister: Lebus. Cathedral chapter . In: Heinz-Dieter Heimann , Klaus Neitmann, Winfried Schich u. a. (Ed.): Brandenburg monastery book. Handbook of the monasteries, monasteries and the coming up to the middle of the 16th century (= Brandenburg historical studies, volume 14). Volume 2. Be.bra-Wissenschaft-Verlag, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-937233-26-0 . Pp. 750-763.