Johann Peter Merz
Johann Peter Merz (born May 29, 1791 in Mainz ; † May 14, 1874 ibid) was a Catholic priest from the diocese of Mainz , garrison and prison chaplain, long-time pastor at St. Stephan in Mainz and a well-known Mainz priest.
Life
Origin and career
Johann Peter Merz comes from an old knightly councilor dynasty who, as jurates, had a great influence in Kurmainz . A branch of the family was elevated to the status of imperial knighthood with the title Merz von Quirnheim at the end of the 17th century .
The clergyman was born in Mainz in 1791, where he attended Latin school, then the French Lyceum and the seminary under Regens Bruno Franz Leopold Liebermann . On March 29, 1812, he acquired the title of Baccalaureus, which the Imperial Academy in Paris confirmed on November 17 of that year. Bishop Joseph Ludwig Colmar consecrated him on 2 September 1815 priests.
Pastor of St. Stephan in Mainz
Initially, Johann Peter Merz acted as chaplain at the St. Ignaz parish church in Mainz and came to the St. Stephan church as pastor as early as 1816. Here he remained pastor for over 50 years and became a highly valued, city-known personality. Pastor Merz had the parish church of St. Stephan, plundered from the time of the Revolution, renovated, especially the cloister. Since the next school was far away, he taught the children in his parsonage free of charge. The city's school board took action against the priest, but the ministry dismissed the complaint against him.
Prison chaplain
As a chaplain in St. Ignaz, he began voluntarily to hold church services in the city's civil prison; from October 19, 1818, he was officially appointed to the prison chaplain, where he accompanied many sentenced to death on their last walk. Initially the prison chapel was unsuitable for mass and Merz had an altar built there at his own expense. When he became pastor of St. Stephen, the female prisoners gave him a silver box with the inscription: "Ex dono nonaginta novem Incarceratarum 1816" ("A gift from 99 female prisoners 1816").
Military chaplain
In addition to his other duties, Pastor Merz was, from 1821, for 22 years, voluntarily and without pay, pastor for the Catholic members of the Prussian garrison troops of the Mainz fortress . After 8 years there were initially difficulties and they wanted to ban unauthorized pastoral care, but then Pastor Merz was able to continue his work and after 22 years of probation was even officially employed and paid as a military pastor. For seven years he performed the same service with the Austrian troops of the 49th Line Infantry Regiment "Freiherr von Langenau".
Recognition and awards
Gradually, the priest's commitment was recognized and honored by the state. King Friedrich Wilhelm III. awarded him the Prussian Red Eagle Order III on September 4, 1833 . Class, he received from Emperor Ferdinand I on November 16, 1839 and from King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. Of Prussia, on April 22, 1841, a golden snuff box each; from Prince-Regent Wilhelm (later King of Prussia) on October 29, 1859 a diamond ring. Finally, Johann Peter Merz was on December 26, 1859 by the Hessian Grand Duke Ludwig III. , his sovereign, decorated with the Grand Ducal Hessian Order of Ludwig II class. Pastor Merz was even offered to join the Kingdom of Prussia as a pastor, which he refused because he did not want to part with his long-standing community. The priest was also given the honorary title of clergyman .
Anniversaries
On his 50th anniversary as a priest in 1865, which he celebrated in the Marienthal Abbey in the Rheingau , he was characterized as follows:
“The jubilee has promoted the piety of his community in every way. He raised the church celebration, built on the altar, attracted people through teaching, inspired enthusiasm for the religion through word and example, so that the congregation became closer to the church. At the same time he shone through kindness of heart and mild disposition; he took care of all the members of the community warmly, like a father to his children; to the poor he was support and help, to the sick he brought consolation and relief; as a great childhood friend, he quickly won the love of the little ones; as a tireless teacher, he won the affection of all students. He had a friend of everyone as friends. "
According to the commemorative publication on the 50th anniversary of the installation as pastor of St. Stephen, in 1866, the priest's former students had gas lighting installed in the church and the following dedication inscribed on the candelabra of the choir: “The grateful students have installed the gas lighting Have pupils made in honor of the Reverend Pastor Merz in memory of his teaching for fifty years, at the jubilee festival on April 17th, 1866. ” His parishioners and friends gave him a valuable baptismal font for the church, also with a dedication that read: “ Dem Very venerable Mr. Peter Joseph Merz from Mainz, pastor of St. Stephen's Church for 50 years, the parishioners consecrated this baptismal font to increase the honor of the house of God on the anniversary day, on April 17th in the year of the Lord 1866. "
Death and burial
Johann Peter Merz died on May 14, 1874 in Mainz and was buried there. The Mainz priest Wilhelm Thoms gave the funeral sermon at the funeral. It appeared in print under the title: "Funeral speech to the revered clergyman Johann Peter Merz, pastor of St. Stephan in Mainz, given by Wilhelm Thoms" (Mainz 1874).
Friendship with Bishop Weis
Nikolaus von Weis , later Bishop of Speyer, was ordained a priest on August 22, 1818 in Mainz and celebrated his first mass in the Church of St. Stephan, assisted by "the worthy pastor Johann Peter Merz" . Weis and Merz knew each other from their time together in Mainz and remained "close friends" throughout their lives , as Franz Xaver Remling stated in his biography of the bishop.
literature
- Karl Klein: The jubilee of the Reverend Pastor Johann Peter Merz at St. Stephan in Mainz . Passet, Mainz 1866.
- Karl Klein: The Church of St. Stephan in Mainz . Passet, Mainz 1866, pp. 34-36.
- L. Lang: Johann Peter Merz, pastor of St. Stephan in Mainz . In: St. Josephsblatt, illustrated monthly for the instruction and entertainment of the Christian people , No. 8, Munich August 1874 (with picture).
- Wilhelm Thoms: funeral speech for the revered clergyman Johann Peter Merz, pastor of St. Stephan in Mainz . Falk, Mainz 1874.
Web links
- Merz, Johannes Peter. Hessian biography. In: Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen (LAGIS).
Remarks
- ^ Franz Xaver Remling: Nikolaus von Weis, Bishop of Speyer in life and work . Volume 1. Ferdinand Kleeberger, Speyer 1871, p. 15 ( digital ).
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Merz, Johann Peter |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German Catholic priest |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 29, 1791 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Mainz |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 14, 1874 |
| Place of death | Mainz |