Péter Pázmány de Panasz,
S.J. (, ; ; ; ; 4 October 1570 – 19 March 1637), was a Hungarian
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
who was a noted
philosopher
Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...
,
theologian
Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...
,
cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to
* Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae
***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
,
pulpit orator and
statesman. He was an important figure in the
Counter-Reformation in
Royal Hungary.
Pázmány's most important legacy was his creation of the
Hungarian literary language. As an orator he was dubbed "the Hungarian
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...
in the purple". In 1867, a street in Vienna, the
Pazmanitengasse, was named after him.
Biography
Early life
Pázmány was born in 1570 in Nagyvárad, in the
Principality of Transylvania (today
Oradea, Romania), the son of Miklós Pázmány,
vice-ispán of
Bihar County.
As a young man he was educated there and, under the Jesuits, in
Kolozsvár (Cluj), which is where he converted from the
Calvinist
Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
Reformed Church of Hungary to
Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
in 1583, partly under the influence of his stepmother, a Catholic. In 1587, he entered the
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...
.
Upon entering the
Jesuit
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
Order, Pázmány went through his
novitiate at
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, after which he studied philosophy in
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...
(1589–1592), and then theology at the
Collegio Romano in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
(now the
Pontifical Gregorian University) under St.
Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine (; ; 4 October 1542 – 17 September 1621) was an Italian Jesuit and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was canonized a saint in 1930 and named Doctor of the Church, one of only 37. He was one of the most important figure ...
, S.J. (1592–1596), after which he was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
to the priesthood there. He was made a
Doctor of Theology in 1597.
After his studies, Pázmány was sent to
Graz
Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...
, Austria, first serving on the staff of the Jesuit college there for a year, then lecturing in theology at the
University of Graz. In 1601, he was sent to the Society's establishment at Sellye (today
Šaľa, Slovakia), where his eloquence and dialectic won hundreds to Catholicism, including many of the noblest families. Count
Miklós Esterházy and
Pál Rákóczi were among his converts.
In 1607 Pázmány entered the court of Archbishop
Ferenc Forgách of Esztergom. The following year he attracted attention in the
Diet of Hungary by his denunciation of the 8th point of the
Peace of Vienna, which prohibited the Jesuits from acquiring landed property in Hungary. Particularly remarkable from this period is Pázmány's ''Guide to Truth'', which appeared in 1613. This manual was judged to have united all the advantages of scientific depth, methodical arrangement and popular style.
At the initiative of the archbishop and the request of King
Matthias II of Hungary,
Pope Paul V, by an
apostolic brief dated 5 March 1616, granted Pázmány permission to leave the Society of Jesus and to enter the
Somascan Clerics Regular; he never left the Jesuit Order, however, so there was only the submission of a request by third parties and the granting of a permission to leave.
Primate of Hungary
On 25 April 1616 Pázmány was appointed the
Provost of
Turóc (Slovak Turiec), and on 28 September he was appointed by the
Holy See
The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
as
Archbishop of Esztergom
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...
, the
Primate of Hungary. Pázmány was to become the soul of the Catholic Counter-Reformation in Hungary.
As the chief pastor of the Catholic Church in Hungary, Pázmány used every means in his power, short of absolute contravention of the laws, to obstruct and weaken
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, which had risen during the 16th century. In 1619, he founded a seminary for theological candidates in
Trnava
Trnava (, , ; , also known by other #Names and etymology, alternative names) is a city in western Slovakia, to the northeast of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of the Trnava Region and the Trnava District. It is the seat o ...
, and in 1623 laid the foundations of a similar institution at Vienna, the still famous
Pázmáneum, at a cost of 200,000
florins. In 1635, he contributed 100,000 florins towards the foundation of the university in
Trnava
Trnava (, , ; , also known by other #Names and etymology, alternative names) is a city in western Slovakia, to the northeast of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of the Trnava Region and the Trnava District. It is the seat o ...
. The Faculty of Theology was later turned into
Pázmány Péter Catholic University, and the rest of the university became what is now known as
Eötvös Loránd University, which, from 1921 to 1950, was known as Péter Pázmány University. Its theological faculty became Catholic Péter Pázmány University, Budapest/Piliscsaba, in 1992. Pázmány also built Jesuit colleges and schools at
Bratislava (Pressburg), and
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
monasteries at
Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky (; ) is a town in Nové Zámky District in the Nitra Region of southwestern Slovakia.
Geography
The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km fr ...
(
Érsekújvár in Hungarian) and
Kremnica, all located in modernday Slovakia.
Pázmány played a considerable part in the politics of his day. It was chiefly due to him that the Diet of 1618 elected Archduke
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...
to succeed the childless Matthias. He also repeatedly thwarted the martial ambitions of
Gabriel Bethlen, and prevented
George I Rákóczi, over whom he had a great influence, from allying with the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
and the Protestants.
Pázmány was created a
Cardinal Priest by
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...
in the
consistory of 19 November 1629. He received the
red hat of a cardinal from the pope on 31 May 1629 at which time he was assigned for his
titular church to
Saint Jerome of the Croats.
Death
240px,
Pázmány died in in 1637 and was buried underneath the floor of St. Martin's Cathedral, at the foot of the ancient tomb of St. John the Almsgiver">St. Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava">St. Martin's Cathedral, at the foot of the ancient tomb of St. John the Almsgiver, which he had embellished during his reign.
Pázmány's grave was discovered during reconstruction on 12 September 1859 by the Rev. Ferdinand Knauz and others. They found the body dry yet almost intact. His face was missing the nose and lips but was still bearded, and he still had his biretta on his head with some hair underneath. He was wearing red damask
vestment
Vestments are Liturgy, liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christianity, Christian religion, especially by Eastern Christianity, Eastern Churches, Catholic Church, Catholics (of all rites), Lutherans, and Anglicans. ...
s and had simple leather shoes on his feet.
Works
*''The Four Books of
Thomas à Kempis on the imitation of Christ'' (Hungarian, 1603), of which there are many editions
*
Christian Prayer Book', 1606, translated in English by Christianfaith.info
*''Diatribe theologica de visible Christi in terris ecclesia'' (Graz, 1615)
*''Vindiciae ecclesiasticae'' (Vienna, 1620);
*''Sermons for every Sunday in the Year'' (Hung., Pressburg, 1636)
*''The Triumph of Truth'' (Hungarian, Pressburg, 1614)
Sources
''Grazer philosophische Disputationen'' von Péter Pázmány, ed. Paul Richard Blu
http://renaissancephilosophy.blogspot.com/] and Emil Hargittay, Piliscsaba (Katholische Péter-Pázmány-Universität) 2003.
''Pázmány Péter és kora''
. P. and his times ed. Emil Hargittay, Piliscsaba (Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem) 2001.
Honors
Péter Pázmány is revered by Hungary by issuing six postage stamps on 25 September 1935.
References
Sources
*
*
*
Vilmos Fraknói, ''Péter Pázmány and his Times'' (Hung. Pest, 1868–1872); ''Correspondence of Pázmány'' (Hung. and Latin), published by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Pest, 1873). (R. N. B.)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pazmany, Peter
1570 births
1637 deaths
People from Oradea
Converts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism
17th-century philosophers
17th-century Hungarian Jesuits
16th-century Hungarian Jesuits
University of Vienna alumni
Pontifical Gregorian University alumni
Academic staff of the University of Graz
Hungarian philosophers
Hungarian Roman Catholic theologians
Counter-Reformation
Jesuit archbishops
Jesuit cardinals
Former Jesuits
Cardinals created by Pope Urban VIII
Archbishops of Esztergom
17th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Hungary
Burials at St. Martin's Cathedral, Bratislava