Matthias von Sittard

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Matthias von Sittard OP (also: Zittardus , Citardus , Citharius , original family name: Esche ; * February 22, 1522 in Sittard / NL; † October 31, 1566 - place of death unknown; data according to BBKL ), was a Dominican theologian, writer and imperial Court chaplain .

Live and act

Matthias von Sittard came from a Lower Rhine family from the town of Sittard, which at that time belonged to the Duchy of Jülich (now part of the province of Limburg , Netherlands) and from which he also got his family name. His father moved to Aachen soon after Matthias was born , so that Matthias spent his high school there and then around 1538 entered the Dominican monastery in Aachen on today's Jakobstrasse as a novice . Here he began his theology studies, continued this at various universities and graduated with a doctorate in theology. Sittard was also characterized by excellent rhetoric , so that he was accepted as a preacher after studying at his Aachen religious house.

Sittard drew attention to himself during the Reformation movement by adhering to the old Catholic faith and was therefore appointed court preacher by Duke Wilhelm V, the rich, von Jülich . In this capacity he was sent to the Worms Religious Discussion in 1557 , where he was one of the main spokesmen for the Catholic tradition. This impressed Emperor Ferdinand I , who two years later appointed him his imperial court preacher and from 1561 also his personal confessor . In this function and as a consultant, Sittard accompanied Ferdinand I in 1563 to the 23rd to 25th session of the Council of Trent , which took place in Innsbruck . The emperor then rewarded him for his services, his upright demeanor and his loyalty with a pension of 300 imperial guilders in shares in the salt mines in the Inn Valley and with the transfer of the provost office of Leitmeritz . With old affection and solidarity, Sittard bequeathed his hometown Aachen and its Dominican monastery a donation of 2,000 guilders and part of his ongoing pension from his new fortune.

After Ferdinand I's death, his son and successor Maximilian II took over Matthias Sittard as court preacher and advisor, as he had already come to appreciate him particularly through his impressive sermon during his own royal coronation in 1562. Sittard held this position until his death in 1566.

Sittard's merits lay in the fact that, despite his strict stance against the Lutherans, he was always anxious to mediate and secure the peace of the empire. However, neither the Calvinists nor the radical representatives of his own religion, such as the Jesuits , particularly valued this Irish attitude . As already described above and testified by Petrus Canisius , Sittard had great influence on the emperor and was one of the most important pulpit speakers of his time.

Matthias Sittard had another brother, Leonhard von Zittardus († 1569), who had also joined the Dominican Order and was ordained auxiliary bishop in Mainz with the titular diocese of Missene in 1563 .

Fonts (selection)

For a complete overview of the surviving prints, see the list of prints from the 16th century published in the German-speaking area

  • Assertio catholicae religionis , Cologne 1542
  • Christl. good sermon to S. Matthei day, by the worthy Mr. PMZ Fürstl. Preachers of preaching to Jülich in the cathedral of Wormbs. In synodo Colloquii Anno 1557 , Mainz 1557
  • Sermo de processione cum sacrosancta Eucharistia, quae celebrari consuevit Feria quinta proxima post festum sanctissimae Trinitatis: habito a RPMC , 1563
  • Pia Adhortatio ad omnigenas peccatores, ne correctionem vitae procrastinent atque differant ... Ex variis concionibus Reverendi et pii Patris DMC ... collecta ... Volcmaro Chytraeo , 1565
  • (Ein) Zwo Christian Comforting Sermon on u. by the buried corpse of ... Khayser Ferdinandi , 1565
  • Christian prayers on Sundays and feasts throughout the year , 1565
  • Concio de supplicatione seu processione cum gestatione sacrosanctae Eucharistae , Venice 1567
  • Homiliae seu conciones 27 in priorem Epistolam Joannis apostoli in aulam Ferdinandi ceasaris habitae germanicae , Cologne 1571

literature

personal data
SURNAME Sittard, Matthias, from
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Zittardus, Matthias
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dominican theologian, imperial court preacher
DATE OF BIRTH February 22, 1522
PLACE OF BIRTH Sittard
DATE OF DEATH October 31, 1566