Johann IX. Philipp von Walderdorff

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Johann Philipp von Walderdorff, picture around 1800
Coat of arms of the bishop on the church of St. Cyriakus (Frankenthal-Eppstein)

Johann Philipp Reichsgraf von Walderdorff (born May 24, 1701 at Molsberg Castle near Montabaur , † January 12, 1768 in Ehrenbreitstein ) was known as Johann IX. from 1756 to 1768 Archbishop and Elector of Trier , and from 1763 Prince-Bishop of Worms .

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Early years

Johann Philipp von Walderdorff was the most important representative of the Westerwald noble family Walderdorff . He was born as the son of the imperial colonel Baron Carl Lothar von Walderdorff zu Molsberg and Isenberg († 1722) and his wife Anna Katharina Elisabeth Freiin von Kesselstatt († 1733). From 1720 to 1722 he studied at the University of Mainz , which was run by the Jesuits , stayed in France from 1722 to 1724 for the “ Grand Tour ” and on September 3, 1739 was appointed vicar general of the Archbishopric of Trier. In 1742 he was elected cathedral dean and as such he was ordained a priest on October 7th of that year .

Bishop and Elector

The Electoral Palace in Trier, built by Bishop Walderdorff
The Palais Walderdorff in Trier, built by Bishop Walderdorff
The
Neuleiningen acquired for the diocese of Worms

On 16 September 1754 it appointed Pope Benedict XIV. To the coadjutor of Archbishop Franz Georg von Schönborn and Titular Archbishop of Patras ; he was the French candidate. His elector consecrated him as a bishop on June 15, 1755 in the Capuchin Church in Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein . After Schönborn's death (January 18, 1756) he succeeded him in office, on February 16, 1756 he received the archbishop's pallium .

From 1756 to 1768 he ruled as Archbishop or Elector of Trier and administrator of the Abbey of Prüm , in 1763 Walderdorff also became Prince-Bishop of Worms . His lively construction activity is still evident today in the Electoral Palace in Trier, Engers Castle in Neuwied and the Molsberg family castle in the Westerwald, which however remained a torso after the owner's death. In 1767 he succeeded in buying the leining share of the village and castle Neuleiningen , whereby the strategically important place, which until now only belonged half to the bishopric of Worms , fell entirely to it. Under his government, the church of St. Cyriakus (Frankenthal-Eppstein) was built in the diocese of Worms . On the front, above both doors, it bears his bishop's coat of arms.

Johann Philipp von Walderdorff was a passionate hunter, loved the baroque pomp and represented it at his court. Since he was a sociable character, he was also considered to be a weak elector. In the religious field he introduced Eternal Prayer . He also had the Holy Rock exhibited in Ehrenbreitstein in 1765 and proclaimed a pilgrimage for it.

In the "Memorable Rhenish Antiquarian" it says in 1851 about Johann Philipp von Walderdorff:

“A gentleman with an extremely attractive face and a sincere heart; His character was noble and very gentle, his Humeur always alert, his mind masculine, and his judgment healthy. He was pious without hypocrisy, condescending, gracious and kind to everyone; extremely benevolent and generous, also very compassionate to the poor, and of a strong and healthy temperament. He had an easy understanding of the business and a very healthy judgment. There are few electors who have issued so many beneficial ordinances as this Elector who was in government for twelve years. With knowledge he offended no one, was generally loved, and yet he was researched; He never used, like his master forerunner (predecessor), to give the people the blessing so easily, but to greet everyone in the most condescending manner. "

- Christian von Stramberg Anton Joseph Weidenbach : Memorable and useful Rhenish antiquarian. Dept. 1, Volume 1, 1851

In the "Theologische Realenzyklopädie" (Theological Real Encyclopedia) (2002) Gerhard Müller writes about him that he was popular with the population because his rule was not marred by private or public debts. His government matched the motto that he had posted at Palais Walderdorff in Trier: We are good and nobody is bad . Walderdorff was decidedly pious, he attended Holy Mass every day and always celebrated it personally on Sundays and public holidays.

His brother was Adalbert II von Walderdorff (1697–1759), prince abbot and bishop of Fulda, his nephew Philipp Franz Wilderich von Walderdorff (1739–1810), last prince-bishop of Speyer .

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Johann Philipp von Walderdorff's grave monument in Trier Cathedral
Funerary inscription in Trier Cathedral

Johann Philip's imposing, classical grave monument is located at the eastern end of the north aisle of Trier Cathedral next to the entrance to the Sacrament Chapel. On it the bishop is shown in a lying pose, next to him is an anatomically very sensitively modeled skeleton with a scythe. With his bony finger it points to the obelisk inscription "Ecce hora est", meaning: "See, the hour is here." In the book Baugeschichtlicher Führer durch Trier (Government and Building Councilor von Behr, Trier, 1909) it says that that The white marble skeleton was removed from the grave in the second half of the 19th century and moved to the Cathedral Museum, as it looked too terrifying for the community. Today the grave monument is back in its original condition. The original head of the bishop's figure was probably destroyed as early as the Revolutionary Wars and replaced by a somewhat lifelike replica in the 19th century.

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann Philipp von Walderdorff  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Hans Heiberger: Neuleiningen, History of a Mountain Fortress , Heidelberger Verlagsanstalt, 1996, p. 37
  2. On the introduction of Eternal Prayer by Bishop Walderdorff ( Memento from May 4, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  3. On the Holy Rock Exhibition or Pilgrimage 1765 ( Memento of the original from March 20, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.glaubeaktuell.net
  4. For assessment in the "Theologische Realenzyklopädie", Volume 34, page 86, 2002
  5. On the piety of the Elector ( Memento from August 2, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
  6. On the relationship between the two bishops ( memento from January 27, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  7. ^ Entry on cathedral - tomb of Johann Philipp von Walderdorf in the database of cultural assets in the Trier region ; accessed on January 29, 2016.
  8. Markus Groß-Morgen: The tomb of the Archbishop of Trier Johann Philipp von Walderdorff. A work by the sculptor Jean Baptiste Simar . In: New research and reports on objects from the Episcopal Cathedral and Diocesan Museum Trier (=  catalogs and publications of the Episcopal Cathedral and Diocesan Museum Trier ). tape 3 . Trier 1994, ISBN 3-9802385-4-7 .
predecessor Office successor
Franz Georg von Schönborn Elector Archbishop of Trier
1756–1768
Clemens Wenzeslaus of Saxony
Johann Friedrich Karl von Ostein Prince-Bishop of Worms
1763–1768
Emmerich Joseph von Breidbach zu Bürresheim