Johannes Vastovius
Encyclopedia
Johannes Vastovius was a Swedish
priest and writer in the late reformation period.
Vastovius was a convert to Roman Catholicism
and one of the followers of Polish
-Swedish king Sigismund III Vasa
. He became protonotarius publicus and canon
in Warmia
in Poland, and served Sigismund as chaplain and librarian. He is best known for his Vitis aquilonia ("The Vine of the North"), a collection of stories or legends of Scandinavian, mostly Swedish, saints from about 850 until the early 16th century, which was printed in Cologne
in 1623. A new edition of the Vitis aquilonia was published in Uppsala
in 1708 with comments by Erik Benzelius the Younger
, who praised the carefulness and clarity of style of Vastovius. A 20th century Swedish historian and philologist, on the other hand, has characterized the Vitis aquilonia as a "young and unclear" source in relationship to its medieval subject matter.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
priest and writer in the late reformation period.
Vastovius was a convert to Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and one of the followers of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-Swedish king Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a monarch of the united Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1632, and King of Sweden from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599...
. He became protonotarius publicus and canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
in Warmia
Warmia
Warmia or Ermland is a region between Pomerelia and Masuria in northeastern Poland. Together with Masuria, it forms the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship....
in Poland, and served Sigismund as chaplain and librarian. He is best known for his Vitis aquilonia ("The Vine of the North"), a collection of stories or legends of Scandinavian, mostly Swedish, saints from about 850 until the early 16th century, which was printed in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1623. A new edition of the Vitis aquilonia was published in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
in 1708 with comments by Erik Benzelius the Younger
Erik Benzelius the younger
Erik Benzelius the younger was a priest, theologian, librarian, and Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, 1742–1743. He was a highly learned man and one of Sweden's important Enlightenment figures....
, who praised the carefulness and clarity of style of Vastovius. A 20th century Swedish historian and philologist, on the other hand, has characterized the Vitis aquilonia as a "young and unclear" source in relationship to its medieval subject matter.