Pińczów Academy
Encyclopedia
The Pińczów Academy or Gymnasium was a Calvinist college in Pińczów, Poland from 1550-1565. This coincides with the Calvinist synods of Pińczów
1550-1564.
Lord Nicholas Oleśnicki inherited the Pińczów
estate in 1546. He was influenced by his wife, and his father in law, to Calvinism. First Andrzej Osiander and then the Italian ex-priest Francesco Stancaro
, two Calvinist professors at the University of Königsberg
, preached in Pińczów.
Stancaro moved Olesnicki to drive out the monks and convert the monastic church at Pinczow to Calvinist rite November 25, 1550. Then from 1551 founded the Academy.
to be the new rector, in addition to teaching Latin and Greek. Other teachers included Francesco Lismanino
, Georg Schomann
and Jean Thenaud.
The school was forced to close temporarily 1565. A plan was started in 1578 to reopen as a university, but the acquisition of the town by the Bishop of Krakow led to the end of Calvinist activity.
Synods of Pińczów
The Synods of Pińczów were a series of 22 Calvinist synods held in the town of Pińczów from 1550-1563.At the time of the Reformation Pińczów belonged to a Calvinist nobleman, Nicholas Oleśnicki, and was one of the centers of Calvinism and Arianism in Poland. Synods were held in the former Pauline...
1550-1564.
Lord Nicholas Oleśnicki inherited the Pińczów
Pinczów
Pińczów is a town in Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodship, about 40 km south of Kielce. It is the capital of Pińczów County. Population is 12,304 .-History:...
estate in 1546. He was influenced by his wife, and his father in law, to Calvinism. First Andrzej Osiander and then the Italian ex-priest Francesco Stancaro
Francesco Stancaro
Franciscus Stancarus was an Italian priest, professor of Hebrew at the University of Königsberg.He engaged in debate with Jan Laski and Peter Martyr Vermigli.- References :...
, two Calvinist professors at the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
, preached in Pińczów.
Stancaro moved Olesnicki to drive out the monks and convert the monastic church at Pinczow to Calvinist rite November 25, 1550. Then from 1551 founded the Academy.
Teaching staff
The first rector was Grzegorz Orszak of the University of Krakow. In 1556 Calvin sent Pierre StatoriusPierre Statorius
Pierre Statorius was a French grammarian and theologian, who settled among the Polish Brethren, becoming rector of a the Calvinist Academy in Pińczów at the invitation of Francesco Lismanino....
to be the new rector, in addition to teaching Latin and Greek. Other teachers included Francesco Lismanino
Francesco Lismanino
Francesco Lismanino , Italian-Polish Franciscan.Lismanino came as a child to Kraków, but returned as a teenager to Italy to study, where he entered the Franciscan order. In 1533 he returned to the Italianate court of Bona Sforza in Kraków, where he was later cantor, and confessor to the queen...
, Georg Schomann
Georg Schomann
Georg Schomann was a Socinian theologian.In his youth, was distinguished by a deep Catholic religiosity. In the years 1552-1554 he studied at the Krakow Academy and then at Wittenberg, where he was Lutheran...
and Jean Thenaud.
Alumni
Students included- Justus Rabb (d. 1612) - Jesuit theologian
- Aleksy Rodecki (d.1606) - printer in Rakow
- Krzysztof Przechadzka - later a teacher at the academy.
- Stanisław Cikowski (d.1617) - chamberlain of Krakow
- Remigiusz Chełmski - antitrinitarian
The school was forced to close temporarily 1565. A plan was started in 1578 to reopen as a university, but the acquisition of the town by the Bishop of Krakow led to the end of Calvinist activity.