Joseph Mezger
Encyclopedia
Joseph Mezger was an Austrian Benedictine
of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg
.
. He took vows at the same time as his brother Francis Mezger
in 1651, and was ordained priest in 1659. He taught poetry in the gymnasium of Salzburg in 1660, and was master of novices and sub-prior in his monastery in 1661. He then taught philosophy at the University of Salzburg
, 1662-4; apologetics and polemics, 1665-7; and canon law, 1668-73. He was prior of his monastery and taught hermeneutics and polemics, 1673-8, when he was appointed vice-chancellor
of the university. He died at the monastery of St. Gall, while on a pilgrimage to Einsiedeln.
He was an intimate friend of Mabillon with whom he kept up a constant correspondence and who in his "Iter Germanicum" calls him "Universitatis Salisburgensis præcipuum ornamentum" (Vetera Analecta, I, xi).
. In 1664 he published at Salzburg his four philosophical treatises:
His other works are:
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...
of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg
St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg
St Peter's Archabbey, otherwise St Peter's Abbey in Salzburg is a Benedictine monastery in Austria. It is considered one of the oldest monasteries in the German-speaking area, if not in fact the oldest.-History:...
.
Life
Mezger was born at EichstädtEichstädt
Eichstädt is a village in Brandenburg, Germany. It is not to be confused with Eichstätt, Bavaria....
. He took vows at the same time as his brother Francis Mezger
Francis Mezger
Francis Mezger was an Austrian Benedictine academic and writer, of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg.-Life:...
in 1651, and was ordained priest in 1659. He taught poetry in the gymnasium of Salzburg in 1660, and was master of novices and sub-prior in his monastery in 1661. He then taught philosophy at the University of Salzburg
University of Salzburg
The University of Salzburg, or Paris Lodron University after its founder, the Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron, is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, home of Mozart. It is divided into 4 faculties: catholic theology, law, humanities and natural science.Founded in 1622, it...
, 1662-4; apologetics and polemics, 1665-7; and canon law, 1668-73. He was prior of his monastery and taught hermeneutics and polemics, 1673-8, when he was appointed vice-chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the university. He died at the monastery of St. Gall, while on a pilgrimage to Einsiedeln.
He was an intimate friend of Mabillon with whom he kept up a constant correspondence and who in his "Iter Germanicum" calls him "Universitatis Salisburgensis præcipuum ornamentum" (Vetera Analecta, I, xi).
Works
His major work is "Historia Salisburgensis" covering the period from 582 to 1687, of which work he, however, had written only the first four books (582-1555) when he died, leaving the remainder to be completed by his brothers, Francis and Paul MezgerPaul Mezger
Paul Mezger was an Austrian Benedictine theologian and academic of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg.-Life:...
. In 1664 he published at Salzburg his four philosophical treatises:
- (1) "Considerationes de scientiis et de modis sciendi in genere";
- (2) "Axiomata physica quæstionibus problematicis distincta";
- (3) "Quatuor gradus naturæ: esse, vivere, sentire, intelligere";
- (4) "Unitas et distinctio rerum quæstionibus philosophicis explicata".
His other works are:
- "Tabula bipartita successionis ecclesiasticæ tam ex testamento quam ab intestato" (Salzburg, 1670);
- "Panacæa juris" (ib. 1673);
- "Lapis mysticus et cornu parvulum Daniels" (ib., 1677, 1682);
- "Institutiones in sacram scripturam" (ib., 1680);
- "Assertio antiquitatis ecclesiæ metropolitanæ Salisburgensis et monasterii S. Petri, O. S. Ben." (ib., 1682).