Macarius Simeomo or Simeomus, born Jean-Baptiste (1616–1676) was the 44th

abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The fem ...

Life

Jean-Baptiste Simeomo was born in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

in 1616 to Marc-Aurelio Simeomo and Sara de la Chambre and was baptised in

Antwerp Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady ( nl, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's see of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been ...

on 13 May of that year.

Paul Bergmans Paul Jean Etienne Charles Marie Bergmans (1868–1935) was a librarian in chief of the University of Ghent, and musical historian. Life Bergmans was born in Ghent on 23 February 1868. He began work at Ghent University Library on a voluntary basis, ...

, "Simeomo (Jean-Baptiste, en religion Macaire)", '' Biographie Nationale de Belgique''
vol. 22
(Brussels, 1920), 517-518. His father was an Italian merchant in the city. He was educated at the Jesuit college in Antwerp and on 2 February 1634 was professed at St Michael's Abbey, taking the

religious name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for a religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholic Church, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should ...

Macarius. He studied philosophy and theology, spending three years at the

Premonstratensian College, Leuven Premonstratensian College (est. 1571) was a house of studies of the Premonstratensian Order at the Old University of Leuven that later housed the Physics Institute of the Catholic University of Leuven. The façade at Naamsestraat 61 was listed as a ...

. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1640 and graduated with a

Licentiate of Sacred Theology Licentiate in Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus; abbreviated STL) is the second of three ecclesiastical degrees in theology (the first being the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology and the third being the Doctorate in Sacred Theol ...

from

Leuven University KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, l ...

in 1645. In 1652, Simeomo preached the funeral sermon for Abbot Johannes Chrysostomus vander Sterre.Simeomo, ''Laudatio funebris in exequiis reverendissimi domini D. Ioannis Chrysostomi Vander Sterre'' (Antwerp, 1652). After the death of Abbot Norbert van Couwerven in 1661, he was elected his successor, but was not enthroned as abbot until 8 April 1663. In 1666, he served as

visitor A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can interve ...

and

vicar general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...

of the Premonstratensian Order in Germany and Bohemia. He was also a member of the First Estate of the

States of Brabant The States of Brabant were the representation of the three estates (nobility, clergy and commons) to the court of the Duke of Brabant. The three estates were also called the States. Supported by the economic strength of the cities Antwerp, Bruss ...

. He had a house built in Brussels, where he and his successors could stay when on business in the city. He provided the

Bollandists The Bollandist Society ( la, Societas Bollandistarum french: Société des Bollandistes) are an association of scholars, philologists, and historians (originally all Jesuits, but now including non-Jesuits) who since the early seventeenth century h ...

with documentation and received the dedication of the last volumes of March (1667) and April (1675). He died in Antwerp on 12 April 1676.

Writings

Most of Simeomo's writings remain in manuscript. Those published include: * ''Theses theologicae de peccatis'' (Antwerp, 1646-1647) * ''Laudatio funebris in exequiis reverendissimi domini D. Ioannis Chrysostomi Vander Sterre'' (Antwerp, 1652) * ''Chorographia Sacra Coenobii S. Michaelis Antverpia'' (Brussels, 1660)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simeomo, Macarius 1616 births 1676 deaths 17th-century Christian clergy Abbots from the Spanish Netherlands Premonstratensians Clergy from Antwerp