Milíč of Kroměříž facts for kids

Milíč of Kroměříž (died June 29, 1374) was an important Czech Catholic priest in the 1300s. He was a very influential preacher during a time when people were starting to think about changes in the church, which is known as the Bohemian Reformation. Milíč, along with other thinkers in the Kingdom of Bohemia, helped prepare the way for later reformers like Jan Hus. Sometimes, you might see him called Jan Milíč of Kroměříž, but in old records, he's just known as Milíč of Kroměříž.

Milíč's Life Story

We don't know much about Milíč's early life. He was born in Kroměříž, a town in Moravia, which was part of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown. The exact year he was born is not known.

Early Career and Preaching

Milíč became a priest around 1350. From 1358 to 1362, he worked for Emperor Charles IV. He served as a registrar, keeping official records, and later as a corrector, checking documents. He even traveled with the Emperor to Germany several times.

In 1362, he received an important position at the cathedral in Prague as an archdeacon. But in 1363, he decided to give up all his official roles. He wanted to focus only on preaching. This was a big change! He preached to scholars in Latin, but he also did something new: he preached to regular people in their own languages, Czech or German, which he learned just for this purpose.

Helping the Poor and Challenging the Church

Milíč was known for living a very simple life, almost like the first apostles, which is called "apostolic poverty." This made some other religious groups, like the friars, upset.

His preaching had a huge impact. He helped change a bad part of Prague's Old Town called Benátky (meaning "Venice"). This area was known for its problems. Milíč helped turn it into a helpful place he called Nový Jeruzalém (meaning "New Jerusalem").

As Milíč studied the Scripture and saw problems inside and outside the church, he became convinced that something was very wrong. He believed that the "Antichrist" (a figure in the Bible representing evil) was present. In 1367, he traveled to Rome to share his ideas. He put up a sign at St. Peter's announcing his sermon. However, before he could preach, he was put in prison by the Inquisition, a church court.

Later Years and Death

When Pope Urban V arrived in Rome, he ordered Milíč's release. Milíč then returned to Prague. From 1369 to 1372, he preached every day at the Týn Church.

In 1372, some local church leaders complained about him to the papal court in Avignon. Milíč was called to appear there in 1374. He died in Avignon that same year, not long after being found innocent and even being allowed to preach to a group of cardinals.

Milíč's Writings

Milíč wrote several books and sermons. Most of them were in Latin, but he also wrote some in Czech.

Latin Works

• Libellus de Antichristo ("The (Small) Book About Antichrist"); he wrote this while in prison in Rome.
• Gratiæ Dei ("By Grace of God")
• Abortivus
• Lectiones quadragesimales ("The Lent Sermons")

Czech Works

• Modlitby po kázání ("The Prayers After Sermons")