Hieronymus Aleander

Hieronymus Aleander
born Feb. 13, 1480, Motta di Treviso, near Venice
died Feb. 1, 1542, Rome
Dutch Hieronymus Aleander cardinal and Humanist who was an important opponent of the Lutheran Reformation.

A remarkable scholar, particularly of classical languages, Aleandro was in his youth closely associated with the Dutch Humanist Erasmus. He lectured at Venice, Orléans (France), and Paris, where he was appointed rector of the university.

In 1520 Pope Leo X sent him to Germany to lead the opposition against Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms, an effort that brought about his break with Erasmus. The law against Luther, which was adopted by the Diet, was drawn up and proposed by Aleandro, and in Brussels it was Aleandro who was responsible forthe death of the first martyrs of the Reformation. In 1523 Clement VII sent him as nuncio to the court of Francis I of France,with whom he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Pavia (1525). He was later employed on various papal missions, especially to Germany, but was unable to check the progress of the new doctrines. He was created cardinal in 1538 by Paul III.

Aleandro's chief work is his unfinished treatise De habendo Concilio, setting forth his views on the Council of Trent, of which he was an ardent supporter. This and other documents of Aleandro in the Vatican Library, relating to his opposition to Luther, were used in Sforza Pallavicino's Istoria del Concilio Tridentino (1656; “History of the Council of Trent”).

Author
Innovator K.BALAKRISHNA [K.G.F]
MEMBER: NIF, CIIE

HOLY MEN WHO BROUGHT CHANGES IN EUROP

Original name Fabio Chigi pope from 1655 to 1667.
Born Feb. 13, 1599, Siena, Republic of Florence
died May 22, 1667, Rome

Grandnephew of Pope Paul V, Chigi served the church as vice legate at Ferrara and as nuncio at Cologne (1639–51). During the negotiations leading to the Peace of Westphalia (1648), he refused to deliberate with the Protestant heretics and urged the Catholic princes not to sacrifice the rights of the church. The princes, however, were tired of war and, despite his admonition, yielded to France and the Protestants. Secretary of state to Pope Innocent X in 1651 and made cardinal in 1652, Chigi was elected pope on April 7. His pontificate was marked by several disputes.

Author
Innovator K.BALAKRISHNA [K.G.F]
MEMBER: NIF, CIIE