Dietrich Coelde

Dietrich Coelde (* 1435 in Münster, † December 11 1515 in Leuven ) was a Franciscan and popular preacher. Other names by which he was known: Dirk Kolde, Dietrich von Münster, Dietrich von Osnabrück.

Life

Dietrich Coelde was the son of the patrician Hermann Coelde. The master of the guild of merchants Heinrich Coelde was his brother. About Coeldes childhood and youth very little has survived.

Coelde came as Augustinian hermit from the monastery to the Osnabrück University of Cologne and studied theology there. With about 20 years Coelde joined the Order in 1455 and stepped over to the Franciscan Observant. He probably graduated in Hamm ( Westphalia ) his novitiate.

He then worked in the Bodendaal monastery and used during the plague epidemic 1488/1489 in the nearby Brussels many sick. These were also pastoral care of the course. 1491 he was appointed to Brühl and Archbishop Henry IV of Cologne appointed Coelde to Praeceptor generalis for the Rhineland.

In 1497 he became the Guardian. From 1508 he worked for two years in Antwerp and in 1510 he was transferred to Louvain. In large parts of the Netherlands Coelde worked as a preacher.

The success of his most important work, The Christian Mirror, ( Original: " De kerstenen spegel " ) is due to the fact that it was written in Dutch. This catechetical script was revised by him several times and released under various titles such as Kersten mirror. It is considered one of the most outstanding Christian instruction books.

Erasmus of Rotterdam Coelde admired very much and the humanist Rudolf von Langen designated Coelde as successful sower of the word of God. At the age of about 80 years Coelde Dietrich died on December 11, 1515 in Leuven.

Works

• The Christians mirror. 1470
• De corte doerenen crone ons heren of Jesus Christ. 1496
• A fruitful mirror or Handbüchelchen the Christian. 1508