Bernhard Pez
Encyclopedia
Bernhard Pez was an Austrian Benedictine
historian and librarian.
and Krems, and in 1699 entered Melk Abbey
. Having studied the classical languages, he was made professor in the monastery school in 1704, and in the same year went to the University of Vienna
, where he studied theology. In 1708 he was ordained priest.
He took up history, and in 1713, became librarian at Melk. As a model for his historical works he followed the French Maurists
. He studied the archives of the order at Melk and Vienna, and in 1715-17 he, with his brother Hieronymus Pez
, searched for manuscripts in the Austrian, Bavarian, and Swabian monasteries.
In 1716 he published a plan for a universal Benedictine library, in which all the authors of the order, and their works, should be catalogued and reviewed. He obtained from the monasteries of his order no less than seven hundred and nine titles. He also had friendly literary relations with Johann von Eckhart, Schannat, Uffenbach, Schmincke, Mosheim, Lünig etc. In 1728 he accompanied Count Sinzendorf to France, where he made the acquaintance of Montfaucon, Martène Durand, Le Texier, Calmet etc., and enriched his collection from the libraries of the order.
In a controversy with the Jesuits he defended his order with the "Epistolæ apologeticæ pro Ordine S. Benedicti", 1716. In 1725 he published "Homilien des Abtes Gottfried von Admont (1165)", in two vols., and the minor philosophical works of Abbot Engelbert von Admont.
His proposed monumental work, "Bibliotheca Benedictina Generalis", was never completed. His manuscript material is partly made use of in the "Historia rei literariæ O.S.B." by Ziegelbauer
-Legipont (1754). His manuscripts were preserved at Melk.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
historian and librarian.
Life
He studied at ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and Krems, and in 1699 entered Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey or Stift Melk is an Austrian Benedictine abbey, and one of the world's most famous monastic sites. It is located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the river Danube in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley....
. Having studied the classical languages, he was made professor in the monastery school in 1704, and in the same year went to the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, where he studied theology. In 1708 he was ordained priest.
He took up history, and in 1713, became librarian at Melk. As a model for his historical works he followed the French Maurists
Maurists
The Congregation of St. Maur, often known as the Maurists, were a congregation of French Benedictines, established in 1621, and known for their high level of scholarship...
. He studied the archives of the order at Melk and Vienna, and in 1715-17 he, with his brother Hieronymus Pez
Hieronymus Pez
Hieronymus Pez was an Austrian Benedictine librarian and historian.Pez was born at Ybbs. In 1703 he entered the novitiate at Melk Abbey, and was ordained in 1711. He became assistant to his brother Bernhard Pez, after whose death he became librarian...
, searched for manuscripts in the Austrian, Bavarian, and Swabian monasteries.
In 1716 he published a plan for a universal Benedictine library, in which all the authors of the order, and their works, should be catalogued and reviewed. He obtained from the monasteries of his order no less than seven hundred and nine titles. He also had friendly literary relations with Johann von Eckhart, Schannat, Uffenbach, Schmincke, Mosheim, Lünig etc. In 1728 he accompanied Count Sinzendorf to France, where he made the acquaintance of Montfaucon, Martène Durand, Le Texier, Calmet etc., and enriched his collection from the libraries of the order.
Works
His chief works are:- "Thesaurus anecdotorum novissimus" (6 fol. vol., Augsburg, 1721-9), a collection of exegetic, theological, philosophical, ascetic, and historical literary sources;
- "Bibliotheca ascetica" (12 vols., 1723–40), containing the sources of ascetic literature;
- "Bibliotheca Benedictino-Maruiana" (1716).
In a controversy with the Jesuits he defended his order with the "Epistolæ apologeticæ pro Ordine S. Benedicti", 1716. In 1725 he published "Homilien des Abtes Gottfried von Admont (1165)", in two vols., and the minor philosophical works of Abbot Engelbert von Admont.
His proposed monumental work, "Bibliotheca Benedictina Generalis", was never completed. His manuscript material is partly made use of in the "Historia rei literariæ O.S.B." by Ziegelbauer
Ziegelbauer
Ziegelbauer:* Robert "Bob" F. Ziegelbauer, a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly* Magnoald Ziegelbauer , a Benedictine monk and ecclesiastical historian* Maximilian Ziegelbauer...
-Legipont (1754). His manuscripts were preserved at Melk.