Paul Melchers

Paul Ludolf Cardinal Melchers ( born January 6, 1813 in Münster ( Westphalia ), † 14 December 1895 in Rome) was archbishop of Cologne, Bishop of Osnabrück and Jesuit.

Life

Ludolf Paul Melchers was the son of a wealthy merchant in Münster. After graduation in 1829 at the Pauline school, he studied philosophy in Münster and law in Bonn. In 1833 he passed his state exam and then made ​​up to 1834 his military service. He then beat a legal career a, but in 1839 decided to become a priest and studied in Munich Catholic theology.

Career, from priest to archbishop of Cologne

On June 5, 1841 was consecrated as a priest in Münster Melchers, 1844, he was chancellor of the seminary, and seven years later rain. From May 18 to July 21, 1848 he was a member as a deputy of the National Assembly in Frankfurt. In 1852 he succeeded his uncle Arnold Franz Melchers as vicar general of the diocese of Münster and took over the task of Domkapitulars. 1854 Melchers was dean in 1847 and 1856 he was a candidate for election to the Bishop of Münster and Paderborn. 1857 appointed him the city of Münster an honorary citizen. In the same year he was elected for the first resident Bishop of Osnabrück since the secularization. The Diocese of Osnabrück was marked by a diaspora situation since 1821 wide Protestant areas had become part of the Diocese of Osnabrück. The pastoral care locally measured Melchers superior position a consistently he therefore visited within two years of each individual parish of his diocese and promoted to raise the Christian life the popular mission. Melchers donated a bishop's cross with the disposal, this may the future bishop of Hamburg wear, what happened in 1995 after the Diocese of New direction of the Archdiocese of Hamburg.

Pope Pius IX. appointed him in 1858 as Apostolic Pro-vicar for the Nordic missions. After the failure of regular election negotiations, he was appointed as a compromise candidate on January 8, 1866 to the Archbishop of Cologne. 1867 Melchers was the chairman of the German Bishops Conference in Fulda.

Critique of papal infallibility

Melchers was the question of the dogma of papal infallibility against reserved. He participated in the First Vatican Council in part, held the dogma of infallibility to be opportune and agreed to the council submission to a limited extent. Before the final vote of the Council on 18 July 1870, he traveled from as 54 other bishops from Rome. However, he leaned the Council decisions and preached the " Infallibilitätsdogma " in his diocese. The Meyer's encyclopedia wrote 20 years later in unusual commentary, shape, Melchers 've played "on the Vatican Council a sad role " and not shy "to force upon his return the clergy to submit to a doctrine which he had fought in Rome itself. "

May Laws and exile

In performing so far a bishop solely attributable to minority rights Melchers gave spiritual offices, without seek its state approval prescribed by the May Laws. Among other things, why he was covered with several criminal proceedings. Because he opposed fines imposed did not pay him, he spent several months in 1874 Imprisonment in Cologne prison Klingelpütz. It was also enforced by garnishment furniture and public auction in his fortune. In 1875 he escaped, wanted list, a further arrest by fleeing to the Netherlands. 1876 ​​resulting from the application of the May Laws impeachment by the Prussian Court for Ecclesiastical Affairs. Melchers tried from exile in the Dutch province of Limburg, to lead the Archdiocese of Cologne.

At the celebration of the completion of Cologne Cathedral in January 1880 attended by the German Emperor Wilhelm I attended, Melchers was not present. He lived about ten years in the Netherlands in the Capuchin monastery in Maastricht in exile and could only direct his diocese through middlemen. After completion of the Kulturkampf he resigned, pursuant to an agreement between the pope and the king of Prussia, to the archbishopric of Cologne.

Rome

In 1884 he went to Rome, where he was Pope Leo XIII. on July 27, 1885 recorded as cardinal priest with the titular church of Santo Stefano al Monte Celio in the College of Cardinals. Melchers thereupon brought his office as Archbishop of Cologne. However, in Rome, he was able to exercise due to his health no effective action. In 1892, he joined with the permission of the Pope of the Society of Jesus.

After his death on December 14, 1895, his remains were transferred to Cologne and was buried on 27 December in the episcopal crypt of the Cologne Cathedral. For this purpose, a special permission from the government of the Kingdom of Prussia was required.

Commemoration

Also in memory of Melchers ' merits during the Kulturkampf a New Town churches of St. Paul was ordained in Cologne 1908.