Matthias von Kunwald
Matthias von Kunwald (also Matthäus von Kunwald ; Czech Matěj z Kunvaldu ; Latin Matthias Convaldensis ; * around 1440 in Kunwald ; † 1500 in Leipnik ) was bishop of the Unity of the Bohemian Brethren from 1467 until his death in 1500 . From 1468 to 1494 he held the office of senior.
Life
The farmer's son Matthias von Kunwald was a supporter of the Bohemian Brothers, who in 1453 had received permission from the Utraquist Jan Rokycana to settle in the east Bohemian Kunwald, which belonged to the Lititz rule and was owned by the future King George of Podebrady.
On March 26, 1467 Matthias was elected at the Brothers Synod in Lhotka near Reichenau together with the tailor Thomas von Přelouč († 1518) and the miller Elias von Křenowitz († 1503) as priest of the Brethren. The election was carried out by drawing lots in such a way that first twenty men were proposed and nine were chosen in the second ballot. Of these, three were to be determined by lot for the priesthood. For this purpose twelve pieces of paper were prepared, nine of which were blank and the remaining three pieces of paper were marked with an "Est" ( it is ). After a common prayer, nine of the twelve folded pieces of paper were distributed to the nine men. All three of the pieces of paper described with "Est" were among the pieces of paper that were distributed. They fell to the Brothers Matthias, Thomas and Elias, who were accepted by the Brothers' Collection.
Since those elected in this way were also to be ordained priests, the Brothers' Union sent three priests who had already been ordained to the Waldensian Bishop Stephanus, who was hidden in Austria . He ordained these three priests, of whom only Michael von Žamberk is known, as bishops.
After their return, Bishop Michael von Žamberk consecrated the three men, Matthias von Kunwald, Thomas von Přelouč and Elias von Křenowitz, who had already been chosen by lot, as priests at another synod. Then Matthias von Kunwald received the episcopal ordination . After Michael von Žamberk and his two fellow bishops not known by name, Matthias von Kunwald was the fourth bishop of the Brethren. After Bishop Michael von Žamberk was captured in 1468 as part of the renewed persecution, the seniorate fell to him. As a pastor he was responsible for the region of Eastern Bohemia.
In his senior position, Matthias was responsible for the ordination of the priests. The council set up by him, from which the “close council” later developed, consisted of lay brothers and priests. In 1494 he gave up the senior council because he was unable to mediate between the supporters of Luke of Prague and an opposing group that was striving for stricter morals. After his death in 1500, Luke of Prague succeeded him as one of four bishops in the episcopate.
literature
- David Cranz : Old and New Brothers History . Barby 1772. Reprinted 1973, ISBN 3-487-04619-9
- Franz Machilek: Bohemian Brothers . In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie (TRE). Volume 7, de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1981, ISBN 3-11-008192-X , pp. 1-8.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Senior or Praeses or Elder was the oldest among the other bishops after the consecration.
- ↑ According to David Cranz: Alte und Neue Brüder-Historie, p. 91 there was a Waldensian preacher and a Catholic priest.
- ↑ Ludwig Schaaf: The Evangelical Brethren Congregation
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Matthias von Kunwald |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Matthäus von Kunwald, Matěj z Kunvaldu |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Bishop of the Bohemian Brethren |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1440 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kunwald |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1500 |
| Place of death | Leipnik |