Heinrich von Kleve

Heinrich von Kleve , also von Cleve , latinized Henricus de Clivis (* in the 15th century probably in Kleve ; † June 2, 1490 in Liesborn ), was abbot of the Benedictine monastery in Liesborn from 1464 until his death and a representative of the Bursfeld reform movement.

Life

Heinrich's origin is unknown. Kleve's nickname does not indicate a count of ancestry, but rather describes his place of birth or previous place of residence. Later he was cellarer in the monastery of St. Marien ad martyres in Trier . At the end of 1464, Abbots Johannes von Bursfelde and Adam von St. Martin in Cologne sent him to Liesborn with four other reform-minded monks. A document dated December 16 names Heinrich as abbot. As early as 1465 he brought Liesborn's Litterae submissionis ("declaration of subordination") to the annual chapter in Bursfelde and his abbey was attached to the Bursfeld congregation . For Liesborn, the strict Bursfeld observance, inspired by the Devotio moderna , and the inspection of life and liturgy by the congregation applied. Soon afterwards, the Aegidiikloster in Münster and the Vinnenberg monastery were reformed from Liesborn.

The reform brought about a religious and cultural bloom in Liesborn. Heinrich exercised his office with economic and administrative caution. He operated the expansion and walling of the monastery buildings and the equipment of the church and abbey with important works of art, including the famous Liesborn Altar . During its term of office, the convent saw increased numbers of novices .

Heinrich von Kleve was buried in the new choir of the abbey church that he had consecrated .

literature

• Helmut Müller: The dioceses of the church province of Cologne. The diocese of Münster 5. The canon monastery and Benedictine monastery Liesborn . Germania Sacra Neue Episode 23, 1987, pp. 243–245 ( digitized version )