Péter Pázmány facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Péter Pázmány S.J. |
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| Cardinal Archbishop of Esztergom Prince Primate of Hungary |
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| See | Esztergom |
| Appointed | 28 November 1616 |
| Reign ended | 19 March 1637 |
| Predecessor | Ferenc Forgách |
| Successor | Imre Lósy |
| Other posts | Cardinal Priest of the Church of Saint Jerome of the Croats (1632–1637), Provost of Turóc (1616) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1596 |
| Consecration | 12 March 1617 by Cardinal Melchior Klesl |
| Created Cardinal | 19 November 1629 |
| Rank | Cardinal Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 October 1570 Nagyvárad, Principality of Transylvania |
| Died | 19 March 1637 (aged 66) Pozsony, Royal Hungary |
| Buried | St Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava |
| Parents | Miklós Pázmány Margit Massai |
| Alma mater | University of Vienna & Pontifical Gregorian University |
| Signature |  |
| Coat of arms |  |
Péter Pázmány (born October 4, 1570 – died March 19, 1637) was a very important Hungarian Jesuit priest. He was known as a philosopher, theologian, and cardinal in the Catholic Church. He also played a big role in politics.
Pázmány was a key figure in the Counter-Reformation in Hungary. This was a time when the Catholic Church worked to bring people back to Catholicism after many had become Protestant.
One of his greatest achievements was helping to shape the modern Hungarian language. He was such a good speaker that people called him "the Hungarian Cicero". A street in Vienna, Austria, is named after him.
Contents
Péter Pázmány's Life
Early Years and Education
Péter Pázmány was born in 1570 in Nagyvárad. This place is now called Oradea and is in Romania. His father, Miklós Pázmány, was an important local official.
When he was young, Péter studied in Nagyvárad and then in Kolozsvár (now Cluj). He grew up in a Calvinist family. However, in 1583, he became a Roman Catholic. His stepmother, who was Catholic, helped him make this choice.
In 1587, Péter joined the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuit Order. This is a group of Catholic priests and brothers. He then went to Kraków for his training.
He studied philosophy at the University of Vienna from 1589 to 1592. After that, he studied theology in Rome at the Collegio Romano. This school is now called the Pontifical Gregorian University. He learned from a famous saint, Robert Bellarmine.
Pázmány became a priest in 1596. In 1597, he earned his degree as a Doctor of Theology. This meant he was an expert in religious studies.
Teaching and Influence
After finishing his studies, Pázmány went to Graz, Austria. He worked at the Jesuit college there for a year. Then, he taught theology at the University of Graz.
In 1601, he moved to Sellye (now Šaľa, Slovakia). He was a very powerful speaker. His speeches and arguments convinced many people to become Catholic. Even important noble families, like the Esterházys, changed their faith because of him.
In 1607, Pázmány joined the court of Archbishop Ferenc Forgách. The next year, he spoke out at the Diet of Hungary. This was a meeting of important leaders. He argued against a rule that stopped Jesuits from owning land in Hungary.
In 1613, Pázmány wrote an important book called Guide to Truth. This book was praised for being deep, well-organized, and easy to understand.
Becoming Primate of Hungary
On April 25, 1616, Pázmány was made the Provost of Turóc. A provost is a senior church official. Later that year, on September 28, the Pope appointed him Archbishop of Esztergom. This made him the Primate of Hungary, the highest Catholic leader in the country.
As the head of the Catholic Church in Hungary, Pázmány worked hard to strengthen Catholicism. He tried to reduce the influence of Protestantism, which had grown strong in the 1500s.
In 1619, he started a seminary in Trnava. This was a school for young men who wanted to become priests. In 1623, he founded another important school in Vienna, called the Pázmáneum. He spent a lot of money to build it.
In 1635, he gave a large sum of money to help start a university in Trnava. Today, the theology part of this university is known as Pázmány Péter Catholic University. The rest of it became Eötvös Loránd University.
Pázmány also helped build Jesuit colleges and schools in Bratislava. He also supported Franciscan monasteries in Nové Zámky and Kremnica. These places are all in modern-day Slovakia.
Political Role and Cardinalship
Pázmány was also very involved in the politics of his time. He played a key role in the Diet of 1618. Thanks to him, Archduke Ferdinand was chosen to be the next king.
He also stopped military plans by Gabriel Bethlen. Pázmány also influenced George I Rákóczi to prevent him from joining forces with the Ottoman Empire and the Protestants.
On November 19, 1629, Pope Urban VIII made Pázmány a Cardinal Priest. This is a very high rank in the Catholic Church. He received his cardinal's red hat on May 31, 1629.
Death and Burial
Pázmány passed away in Bratislava in 1637. He was buried under the floor of St. Martin's Cathedral. His grave was found during repairs on September 12, 1859.
His body was found to be very well preserved. He still had his beard and wore his cardinal's hat. He was dressed in red church clothes and simple leather shoes.
Péter Pázmány's Writings
Pázmány wrote many important books and sermons. Here are some of his well-known works:
- The Four Books of Thomas à Kempis on the imitation of Christ (1603)
- Christian Prayer Book (1606)
- Diatribe theologica de visible Christi in terris ecclesia (1615)
- Vindiciae ecclesiasticae (1620)
- Sermons for every Sunday in the Year (1636)
- The Triumph of Truth (1614)
Honors
Hungary honored Péter Pázmány by issuing six postage stamps on September 25, 1935.
See also
- In Spanish: Pedro Pázmány para niños
