John of Cracow

Epitaph for Johann von Krakau in Naumburg Cathedral (photo from 1950)

Johann von Krakau (born April 30, 1544, presumably in Krakow , today in Bad Lauchstädt , † October 24, 1606 in Naumburg (Saale) ) was canon and dean of Naumburg Cathedral .

Life

Johann von Krakau was a son of the landlord Franz von Krakau zu Königsbrück and his wife Katharina. After attending the Princely School in Meissen , he served his uncle Christoph von Carlowitz . In 1575 he became canon of the Naumburg cathedral monastery . Elected cathedral dean in 1596, he held the most important office in the cathedral chapter . He exercised control and disciplinary power over the clergy of the cathedral church and had the obligation to reside in Naumburg. He could only leave the city for a long time with the permission of the Chapter.

From his marriage to Maria von Gersdorff eleven children were born.

epitaph

As dean of the cathedral, Johann von Krakau found his final resting place in Naumburg Cathedral and received a wooden epitaph as a tribute. The epitaph in the late Renaissance style , which is now on the south wall of the south aisle, consists of a cranked entablature and rests on two consoles stylized as lions' heads . The consoles of the upper entablature are formed by sphinx masks . At the side, female figures , next to which there are sweeping scrollwork with lush fruit hangings, flank the central representation. The epitaph is crowned by a coat of arms with a crest , which ends in elongated volutes . The focus is on the representation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ .

literature

• Johannes Rosinus : A Christian funeral sermon ... Bey the burial of Deß ... Messrs. Johann von Krakau Domdechants of the high foundations Meißen, Naumburg and Zeitz Which ... passed away at Naumburg, October 24th. Lippoldt, Jena 1606 ( digitized version ).
• Horst Heinz Grimm and Mattias Ludwig: The Naumburg Cathedral . Edition Logika, Munich 2013, pp. 44–45 (without ISBN).