Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 11.djvu/103

 NIKOLAUS

77

NIKON

(Cologne, 1653) — he provided with valuable additions and footnotes.

Koch, Die Erfurter Weihhischdfe in Zeitschrift filT ihHringische Cesch., VI (Jena, 1865), 104-9; RXss, Die Convertiten seil der Re- formation, V (Freiburg im Br., 1867), 97-103; Westermayer in Kirchenlex. 3. v.; Idem in Atlg. deutsche Biog., XXIII, 699 aq.

Friedrich Ladchert.

Nikolaus von Dinkelsbiihl, theologian, b. c. 1360, at Dinkelsbiihl; d. 17 March, 1433, at Mariazell in Styria. He studied at the University of Vienna, where he is mentioned as baccalaureus in the faculty of Arte in 1385. Magister in 1390, he lectured on philosophy, mathematics, and physics until 1397, and from 1402 to 1405. PVom 1397 he was dean of the faculty; he studied theology, lecturing until 1402 on theological subjects, first as cursor biblicus, and later on the "Sentences " of Peter Lombard. In 1405 he be- came bachelor of Divinity, in 1408 licentiate, and in 1409 doctor and member of the theological faculty. Rector of the university, 1405-6, he declined the hon- our of a re-election in 1409. From 1405 he was also canon at the cathedral of St. Stephen. The supposition of several early authors that he was a member of the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine is incorrect, for he could not have been rector of the university had he been a member of any order. Eminent as teacher and pulpit orator, Nikolaus possessed great business acu- men, and was frequently chosen as ambassador both by the university and the reigning prince. He repre- sented Duke Albert V of Austria at the Council of Constance (1414-18), and the University of Vienna in the trial of Thiem, dean of the Passau cathedral. When Emperor Sigismund came to Constance, Niko- laus deUvered an address on the abolition of the schism ("Sermo de unione Ecclesiee in Concilium Constan- tiense," II, 7, Frankfort, 1697, 182-7). He took part in the election of Martin V, and delivered an address to the new pope (Sommerfeldt, " Historisches Jahr- buch", XXVI, 1905, 323-7). Together with John, Patriarch of Constantinople, he was charged with the examination of witnesses in the proceedings against Hieronyraus of Prague. Returning to Vienna in 1418, he again took up his duties as teacher at the uni- versity, and in 1423 directed the theological promo- tions as representative of the chancellor. Duke Al- bert V having chosen him as his confessor in 1425, wished to make him Bishop of Passau, but Nikolaus declined the appointment. During the preparations for the Council of Basle, he was one of the committee to draw up the reform proposals which were to be pre- sented to the council. His name does not appear thereafter in the records of the university.

His published works include " Postilla cum sermoni- bus evangeliorum dominicalium" (Strasburg, 1496), and a collection of "Sermones" with tracts (Stras- burg, 1516). Among his numerous unpublished works, the manuscripts of which are chiefly kept in the Court library at Vienna and in the Court and State library at Munich, are to be mentioned his commen- taries on the Psalms, Isaias, the Gospel of St. Mat- thew, some of the Epistles of St. Paul, the "Sen- tences" of Peter Lombard, and "Questiones Sen- tentiarum"; a commentary on the "Physics" of Aristotle, numerous sermons, lectures, moral and ascetic tracts.

AacHBACH, Gesch. der Wiener UniversiUl, I (Vienna, 1865), 430-40; Stanonik in Allg. de,U. Biog., XXIII (1.S86), 622 sq.; EssER in Kirchenlex.. s. v. Nicolaus von Dinkelsbiihl: HcRTER. Nomen., II (Innsbruck, 1906), 830-32.

Friedrich Lauchert.

Nikon, Patriarch of Moscow (1652-1658; d. 1681). He was of peasant origin, born in the district of Nish- ni-Novgorod in 1605, and in early life was known as Nikita. Educated in a monastery, he married, be- came a secular priest, and for a time had a parish in Moscow. After ten years of married life, his children having died, he persuaded his wife to become

a nun and he entered the Solovetski monastery on the White Sea, according to Orthodox custom, chang- ing his name to Nikon. In accordance also with a common custom he next became a hermit on an isl- and near by, dependent on the monastery. But a dis- agreement about the alleged misuse of some alms caused him to break with the Solovetski monks and join the Kojeozerski community in the same neigh- bourhood, of which he became hegumen in 1643. Later he made a great impression on the emperor, Alexis, who made him Archimandrite of the Novos- paski Laura at Moscow in 1646, and in 1649 Metro- politan of Novgorod. Here he founded almshouses, distinguished himself by his many good works, and succeeded in putting down a dangerous revolt in 1650. Meanwhile he was in constant correspon- dence with the Tsar, at whose court he spent part of each year. Already during this time he began to prepare for a revision of the Slavonic Bible and Ser- vice books. In 1652 the Patriarch of Moscow died and Nikon was appointed his successor.

As head of the Church of Russia Nikon set about many important reforms. One of the first questions that engaged his attention was the reunion of the Ruthenians (Little Russians) with the Orthodox Church. When Poland held Little Russia, the Synod of Brest (1596) had brought about union between its inhabitants and Rome. Under Alexis, however, the tide turned; many Ruthenians arose against Poland and united with Russia (1653). A result of this was that the Russians were able without much difficulty to undo the work of the Synod of Brest, and to bring the Metropolitan of Kief with the majority of his clergy back to the Orthodox Church. This greatly increased the extent of the Russian patriarch's juris- diction. Nikon was able to entitle himself patriarch of Great, Little, and White Russia. During the reign of Alexis, Nikon built three monasteries, one of which, made after the model of the Anastasis and called "New Jerusalem," is numbered among the famous Lauras of Russia.

The chief event of Nikon's reign was the reform of the service books. The Bible and books used in church in Russia are translated from Greek into old Slavonic. But gradually many mistranslations and corruptions of the text had crept in. There were also details of ritual in which the Russian Church had for- saken the custom of Constantinople. Nikon's work was to restore all these points to exact conformity with the Greek original. This reform had been dis- cussed before his time. In the sixteenth century the Greeks had reproached the Russians for their altera- tions, but a Russian synod in 1551 had sanctioned them. In Nikon's time there was more intercourse with Greeks than ever before, and in this way he con- ceived the necessity of restoring purer forms. While Aletropolitan of Novgorod he caused a committee of scholars to discuss the question, in spite of the patri- arch Joseph. In 1650 a Russian theologian was sent to Constantinople to inquire about various doubtful points. One detail that made much trouble was that the Russians had learned to make the sign of the cross with two fingers instead of three, as the Gn^'ks did. As soon as he became patriarch, Nikon published an order introducing some of these reforms, which im- mediately called forth angry opposition. In 1654 and 1655 he summoned Synods which continued the work. Makarios, Patriarch of Aniiocli, who came to Russia at that time was able to help, and there was continual correspondence with the Patriarch of Con- stantinople. At last, with the approval of the Greek patriarchs, Nikon published the reformed service books and made laws insisting on conformity with Greek custom in all points of rilu:il (I655-1('>.")S). A new Synod in 1656 confirmed this, excommunicated every one who made the sign of the cross exc(!pt with three fingers, and forbade Uie rebaptizingof Latin con-