Eucharius sang

Eucharius Sang (* around 1556 in Mellrichstadt ; † March 11, 1620 ) was auxiliary bishop in Würzburg from 1597 to 1620 . He also worked as a professor at Würzburg University and held the title of rector three times between 1599 and 1607 . Sang was also active as a spiritual writer .

Life

Eucharius Sang was born around 1556 in Mellrichstadt, which at that time was the official city of the Duchy of Würzburg . Very little is known about the family of the future auxiliary bishop. What is certain, however, is that the Eucharius had a brother named Melchior, who would later also become a theologian . There are also no sources about the childhood and youth of Sang, presumably he attended a Latin school , perhaps in his hometown, and began studying theology after graduating.

Initially, the boy oriented himself in the direction of the nearby University of Erfurt , since at that time there was no university of its own in the capital of the Hochstift Würzburg. After four years he was accepted into the seminary in Würzburg. In 1574 Sang was ordained a priest and then looked after the parishes of Eyershausen and Merkershausen , in the associated rural chapter of Mellrichstadt he soon rose to dean . On April 1, 1575, Sang received the tonsure .

During his time in the Würzburg seminary, the talent of the young clergyman was noticed by Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn . Instead of appointing the young Eucharius as a small country pastor, Echter sent him to Rome in 1579 to the Collegium Germanicum , where Sang was again ordained a priest. Eucharius Sang stayed in Rome until 1584 and continued his studies here. He was then made his court preacher by Bishop Julius . At the same time he worked as a fasting preacher for the people.

In 1584, Eucharius Sang assumed a leading position in the Würzburg seminary. At the same time, Julius Echter appointed him to the newly created clergy , which was to act as an administrative body to promote the Counter-Reformation in the diocese. In 1587, Sang enrolled as a bachelor's degree at the newly founded University of Würzburg and received his doctorate in theology on September 9, 1591. He then managed to fill a benefice at the Haug Collegiate Foundation.

With his dual activity as a clergyman and inspector, later even Regens , of the seminary, Sang formed an interface between the spiritual offspring in the seminary and the religious leadership of the principality. At the same time, because of his origin, he was the point of contact for complaints from the northeast of the diocese. So he pushed for the removal of the Fladunger Amtskeller Philipp von Romrod, which probably adhered to the Lutheran creed. Sang also worked as a visitor in the diocese's land area.

On February 16, 1597, Eucharius Sang was appointed Bishop of Augustopolis in Phrygia by Pope Clement VIII . Before that, Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn had made him his auxiliary bishop . In the same year the newly elected prelate was promoted to professor of moral theology at the University of Würzburg. In 1599 he was dean of the theological faculty and was appointed rector magnificus for the first time in the winter semester of 1599. Sang held this office again in 1607.

The consecration of Bishop received Sang until 8 September 1599. Subsequently, he took over the ordination of many priests. Above all, however, he consecrated many church conversions and new buildings. Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn also pushed the Counter-Reformation forward by building many churches, which often had to be inaugurated by his auxiliary bishop. On January 2, 1610, he even took on the consecration of the new Bamberg Bishop Gottfried von Aschhausen as a representative of Bishop Julius .

After the death of Julius Echter in 1617 and the election of Gottfried von Aschhausen as the new Würzburg bishop ( personal union ), Sang remained auxiliary bishop. In 1618 he took over the consecration of the pilgrimage church Mariabuchen near Lohr am Main , which was planned by Echter. At the end of his life, Sang had several foundations built with his fortune. So he donated for the boys' seminar of the St. Stephan monastery , for facilities in Münnerstadt and his home town Mellrichstadt. Eucharius Sang died on March 11, 1620 and was buried in the Hauger collegiate church .

Works (selection)

In addition to his administrative and pastoral duties, Sang also worked as a writer. He appeared as a writer of building inscriptions, wrote obituaries and gratuities . Three writings can be identified as his main work. The so-called Miracle Book of Dettelbach , which deals with the pilgrimage to the Church of Maria im Sand and was soon translated, a handout for the parishes on how to give the newly introduced sacraments Last Unction and Confirmation and the "Triumphus Franconiae" on the Counter Reformation Francs .

• Oratio funebris in flebilem mortem nobilissimi viri Theodorici Echteri a Mespelbrunn . Wuerzburg 1601.
• Beneficia Vetera Et Nova, Divae Virginis Dettelbacensis . Würzburg 1607. Translation by Johann Vietor: Miraculous signs of the most soulful virgins Mariae old and new at Dettelbach . Wuerzburg 1608.
• Oratio In Anniversaria Electionis The. Reverendissimi & Illustrissimi Praesulis & Ducis JVLII, Habita, Eidemque dedicata AR [everendissi] mo Suffraganeo Herbipoleni Euchario Sangio . Wurzburg 1617.
• Triumphus Franconiae. Whether veterem in ea religionem ante plures annos restitutam . Wurzburg 1618.

literature

• Veronika Heilmannseder: The spiritual council of the diocese of Würzburg under Friedrich von Wirsberg (1558–1573) and Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn (1573–1617) (= sources and research on the history of the diocese and bishopric of Würzburg, vol. LXXIII) . Wuerzburg 2014.
• Hans Pörnbacher (Ed.): Bavarian Library: Texts from twelve centuries. Volume 2: The literature of the baroque . Munich 1986.

Web links

• Catholic-hierarchy: Bishop Eucharius Sang , English
• German biography: Sang, Eucharius
• WürzburgWiki: Eucharius Sang

Individual evidence

1. ^ Pörnbacher, Hans (ed.): Bavarian Library . P. 1289.
2. ^ University archive Würzburg: Rectors from 1582 to 1699 , accessed on November 26, 2019.
3. ↑ Heilmannseder, Veronika: The Spiritual Council of the Diocese of Würzburg . P. 424 f.
4. ^ Pörnbacher, Hans (ed.): Bavarian Library . P. 1289.
5. ↑ Heilmannseder, Veronika: The Spiritual Council of the Diocese of Würzburg . P. 429.
6. ↑ Heilmannseder, Veronika: The Spiritual Council of the Diocese of Würzburg . P. 428 f.