Johann Pistorius the Elder
Johannes Pistorius ( Latinized from " Becker "), the elder, named after his birthplace also Niddanus; (* In January 1504 in Nidda, Hesse, † January 25, 1583 in Nidda ) was a Hessian reformer and the Superintendent of the Diocese of Alsfeld.
Life
He came from an old family Nidda citizens. His father Johann Becker (1476-1529) was mayor. After attending the Latin school in Nidda studied the son, probably in Mainz, and became a Doctor of Divinity. doctorate. Even as a Catholic chaplain of St. John Nidda Coming he was committed staff and supporters of the Reformation. As with Philipp Melanchthon, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship, the roots in the humanism did not allow any fundamentalist religious fervor nourished. Depth of piety and tolerance, for example, against Jews, distinguished him.
Pistorius was involved in the drafting of the Augsburg Confession (CA ) in the spring of 1530, as witnessed by his later successor in the office of the Superintendent George Nigrinus ( 1530-1602 ): "Anno 30 ... was this Bekanntnus first place by order of the Elector of Saxony
entworffen of Luthero and written in 17 articles, then they Wurd Philippo
In 1535 he married Margaretha ( born February 1, 1516; † May 24, 1560 ), the daughter of Konrad writer, recorder of the city of Nidda. He had with her five sons and three daughters, including Johannes Pistorius the Younger.
After Bigamieaffäre Philip of Hesse Pistorius in 1541 ( to 1580 ) Superintendent of the Diocese of Alsfeld, but continued to live in Nidda.
As representatives of the Protestant side, he took with Melanchthon and Martin Bucer at the Colloquy of Worms of 1540/41 and Regensburg Colloquy of 1546 part.
In 1555 a plague epidemic was invading Nidda.
300 people fell prey to it, including within just 19 days, five of the eight children of the spouses Pistorius.
Since two children were already previously deceased young, the nine -year-old John the Younger was left alone.
Friends pastor enrolled in a mourning poem ( from the Latin ): "
After the Worms Colloquy of 1557 Pistorius loaded the increasing factional dispute between Lutheran orthodoxy and Philippists. He was suspected of being Kryptocalvinist because he rejected, among others, the Formula of Concord. As an eyewitness to the Reformation, Martin Luther († 1546) and Philipp Melanchthon († 1560) survived for decades, he wrote a history of the Reformation to 1580. The manuscript and the valuable library of the Ur -CA inherited John the Younger, to which the Father his life had a cordial relationship. Johannes Pistorius the Elder died on January 25, 1583 in his home town of Nidda and was buried in the church of St. John. The inscription on the grave stone that he had John the Younger build, is narrated ( from the Latin ): " The far-famed for its excellent scholarship and piety husband Dr. Johannes Pistorius the Elder of Nidda, the superintendent of the Hesse State and priest, protector the poor and the adornment of his home and all of Germany after he had 60 years spent at home in Hesse and outside at diets so to promote the religion, has ... whose only son Johannes Pistorius, MD, for his grateful Bezeigung attitude to the so -deserved father, this monument erected deeply saddened. He died at Nidda in 1583 AD, on January 25th, in the afternoon at 2 clock. "
On 30 October 2011, the " John Pistorius - house" of the Protestant church was opened in Nidda.
Works
His only known printed publication is the preface: Michael Eychler: Christian ... report as pastors in this pestilentzischen time and even otherwise, the poor krancken Leut can safely visit all and comfort .... 1578, Duke August Library: A2r - B3V 8 °