Nikolaus Nilles
Encyclopedia
Nikolaus Nilles was a Roman Catholic writer and teacher.
, Luxembourg
. After completing his gymnasium studies brilliantly, he went to Rome where from 1847 to 1853, as a student of the Collegium Germanicum, he laid the foundation of his ascetic life and, as a pupil of the Gregorian University, under the guidance of distinguished scholars (Antonio Ballerini
, Johann Baptist Franzelin
, Carlo Passaglia
, Giovanni Perrone
, Francis Xavier Patrizi
, Clement Schrader
and Camillo Tarquini
), prepared the way for his subsequent scholarly career.
When he left Rome in 1853, he took with him, in addition to the double doctorate of theology
and Canon law
, two mementoes which lasted throughout his life: his grey hair and a disease of the heart, possibly the result of his experiences in Rome in the revolutionary year 1848-9. From 1853 to 1858 he labored in his own country as chaplain
and parish priest, and during this time made his first literary attempts. In March, 1858, he entered the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus
and, in the autumn of 1859, was summoned by his superiors to Innsbruck
to fill the chair of canon law in the theological faculty, which Emperor Francis Joseph I had shortly before entrusted to the Austrian Jesuits.
Nilles lectured throughout his life — after 1898 usually to the North American theologians, to whom he gave special instructions on canonical conditions in their country, for which task no one was better qualified than he. His Commentaria in Concilium Baltimorense tertium (1884-90) and his short essay, Tolerari potest, gained him a wide reputation. Martin Blum enumerates in his by no means complete bibliography
fifty-seven works, of which the two principal are: De rationibus festorum sacratissimi Cordis Jesu et purissimi Cordis Mariae libri quatuor (2 vols., 5th ed., Innsbruck, 1885) and Kalendarium manuale utriusque Ecclesiae orientalis et occidentalis (2 vols., 2nd ed., Innsbruck, 1896). Through the latter work he became widely known in the world of scholars. In particular Protestants and Orthodox Russians expressed themselves in terms of the highest praise for the Kalendarium or Heortologion.
Professor Harnack
of Berlin wrote of it in the Theologische Literaturzeitung (XXI, 1896, 350-2):
Of the second volume Harnack wrote (ibid., XXXIII, 1898, 112 sq.):
The Romanian Academy
in Bucharest
awarded a prize to this work. Soon after the appearance of the second edition of the "Kalendarium", the Russian Holy Synod
issued from the synodal printing office in Moscow a "Festbilderatlas" intended to a certain extent as the official Orthodox illustrations for the work. Nilles was not only a distinguished university professor, but also a director of ecclesiastical students. For fifteen years (1860-75) he presided over the theological seminary
of Innsbruck, an international institution where young men from all parts of Europe and the United States were trained for the priesthood.
Life
He was born into a wealthy peasant family of RippweilerRippweiler
Rippweiler is a small town in the commune of Useldange, in western Luxembourg. , the town has a population of 145....
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. After completing his gymnasium studies brilliantly, he went to Rome where from 1847 to 1853, as a student of the Collegium Germanicum, he laid the foundation of his ascetic life and, as a pupil of the Gregorian University, under the guidance of distinguished scholars (Antonio Ballerini
Antonio Ballerini
-Biography:Ballerini was born in Medicina, in what is now the Province of Bologna.He entered the Society of Jesus, on 13 October 1826. He was professor of philosophy at Ferentino, of ecclesiastical history at Rome and at Fermo, of moral theology at the Roman College.He took a prominent part in the...
, Johann Baptist Franzelin
Johann Baptist Franzelin
Johann Baptist Franzelin was an Austrian Jesuit theologian and Cardinal.-Life:Despite their poverty, his parents sent him at an early age to the neighboring Franciscan college at Bolzano...
, Carlo Passaglia
Carlo Passaglia
Carlo Passaglia , Italian divine, was born at Lucca.Passaglia was soon destined for the priesthood, and was placed under the care of the Jesuits at the age of fifteen. He became successively doctor in mathematics, philosophy and theology in the university of Rome. In 1844 he was made professor in...
, Giovanni Perrone
Giovanni Perrone
Giovanni Perrone was an Italian theologian born in Chieri .He studied theology at Turin and at the age of 21 went to Rome, where he joined the Society of Jesus. In 1816 he was sent as professor of theology to Orvieto, and in 1823 was appointed to a similar post in the Collegium Romanum...
, Francis Xavier Patrizi
Francis Xavier Patrizi
Francis Xavier Patrizi was an Italian Jesuit exegete.-Life:He was the eldest son and heir of the Roman Count Patrizi, entered the Society of Jesus, 12 November, 1814, was ordained priest in 1824, and soon became professor of Sacred Scripture and Hebrew in the Roman College...
, Clement Schrader
Clement Schrader
Clement Schrader Clement Schrader Clement Schrader (b. at Itzum, in Hanover, Germany, November 1820; d. at Poitiers, France, 23 February 1875 was a German Jesuit theologian.-Life:Schrader studied at the German College at Rome (1840–48) and entered the Society of Jesus on 17 May 1848...
and Camillo Tarquini
Camillo Tarquini
Camillo Tarquini was an Italian Cardinal, Jesuit canonist and archaeologist.Tarquini entered the Society of Jesus on August 27, 1837...
), prepared the way for his subsequent scholarly career.
When he left Rome in 1853, he took with him, in addition to the double doctorate of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and Canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
, two mementoes which lasted throughout his life: his grey hair and a disease of the heart, possibly the result of his experiences in Rome in the revolutionary year 1848-9. From 1853 to 1858 he labored in his own country as chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
and parish priest, and during this time made his first literary attempts. In March, 1858, he entered the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
and, in the autumn of 1859, was summoned by his superiors to Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
to fill the chair of canon law in the theological faculty, which Emperor Francis Joseph I had shortly before entrusted to the Austrian Jesuits.
Nilles lectured throughout his life — after 1898 usually to the North American theologians, to whom he gave special instructions on canonical conditions in their country, for which task no one was better qualified than he. His Commentaria in Concilium Baltimorense tertium (1884-90) and his short essay, Tolerari potest, gained him a wide reputation. Martin Blum enumerates in his by no means complete bibliography
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
fifty-seven works, of which the two principal are: De rationibus festorum sacratissimi Cordis Jesu et purissimi Cordis Mariae libri quatuor (2 vols., 5th ed., Innsbruck, 1885) and Kalendarium manuale utriusque Ecclesiae orientalis et occidentalis (2 vols., 2nd ed., Innsbruck, 1896). Through the latter work he became widely known in the world of scholars. In particular Protestants and Orthodox Russians expressed themselves in terms of the highest praise for the Kalendarium or Heortologion.
Professor Harnack
Harnack
Harnack is a surname and may refer to:* Adolf von Harnack , German liberal theologian and historian of religion* Arvid Harnack , anti-Nazi resistance fighter* Carl Gustav Axel Harnack , German mathematician...
of Berlin wrote of it in the Theologische Literaturzeitung (XXI, 1896, 350-2):
"I have . . . frequently made use of the work . . . and it has always proved a reliable guide. whose information was derived from original sources. There is scarcely another scholar as well versed as the author in the feasts of Catholicism. His knowledge is based not only on his own observations, but on books periodicals, papers, and calendars of the past and present. The Feasts of Catholicism! The title is self-explanatory; yet, though the basis of these ordinances is uniform, the details are of infinite variety, since the work treats not only of the Latin but also of the Eastern RitesEastern Rite Catholic ChurchesThe Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous, self-governing particular churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. Together with the Latin Church, they compose the worldwide Catholic Church...
. The latter, it is well known, are divided into Greek, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian ..."
Of the second volume Harnack wrote (ibid., XXXIII, 1898, 112 sq.):
"Facts which elsewhere would have to be sought under difficulties are here marshaled in lucid order, and a very carefully arranged index facilitates inquiry. Apart from the principal aim of the work, it offers valuable information concerning recent Eastern Catholic ecclesiastical history, also authorities and literature useful to the historian of liturgy and creeds. ... His arduous and disinterested toil will be rewarded by the general gratitude, and his work will long prove useful not only to every theologian 'utriusque', but also 'cuiusque ecclesiae'".
The Romanian Academy
Romanian Academy
The Romanian Academy is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 acting members who are elected for life....
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
awarded a prize to this work. Soon after the appearance of the second edition of the "Kalendarium", the Russian Holy Synod
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod...
issued from the synodal printing office in Moscow a "Festbilderatlas" intended to a certain extent as the official Orthodox illustrations for the work. Nilles was not only a distinguished university professor, but also a director of ecclesiastical students. For fifteen years (1860-75) he presided over the theological seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of Innsbruck, an international institution where young men from all parts of Europe and the United States were trained for the priesthood.