Andreas Masius
Encyclopedia
Andreas Masius (November 30, 1514 – April 7, 1573) was a Catholic priest, humanist and one of the first European syriacists.
He was born in Lennik
, Flemish Brabant
.
Following his education, and after a short period of training at Leuven
Masius worked as secretary for the bishop of Constance
, Johannes von Weeze († 13. November 1548). Later, among other things, he became the diplomatic representative in Rome for the Abbot Gerwig Blarer (1495-1567) of Weingarten
. On behalf of Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
in 1555 he requested permission from the Pope for the establishment of a university at Duisburg
. After leaving the priesthood and marrying, in 1559, he settled in Zevenaar
and in the last years of his life published several works.
Masius studied Hebrew in Leuven, Arabic in Rome with Guillaume Postel
and in 1553 Syriac with Moses of Mardin, a priest of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Syria. In the same year in Rome he translated two creedal documents from Syriac for Yohannan Sulaqa
, the (anti-)patriarch-elect of the Church of the East
. In 1554, probably in Germany, he made a Latin translation of the Syriac 'Basilius-Anaphora' for Julius von Pflug
(† 3. September 1564), the last Catholic bishop of Naumberg-Zeitz. These were printed together with Masius' translation of the treatise De Paradiso of Moses Bar-Kepha
.
In 1571 Masius published his Grammatica linguae syricae as well as the dictionary Syrorum Peculium. Hoc est, vocabula apud Syros scriptores passim vsurpata, at the Plantin press
in Antwerp.
He died in Zevenaar
in 1573.
He was born in Lennik
Lennik
Lennik is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Sint-Kwintens-Lennik, Sint-Martens-Lennik, and Gaasbeek. On January 1, 2006, Lennik had a total population of 8,694...
, Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
.
Following his education, and after a short period of training at Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
Masius worked as secretary for the bishop of Constance
Bishopric of Constance
The Bishopric of Constance was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from about 585 until 1821. Its seat was Konstanz at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany...
, Johannes von Weeze († 13. November 1548). Later, among other things, he became the diplomatic representative in Rome for the Abbot Gerwig Blarer (1495-1567) of Weingarten
Weingarten Abbey
Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg in Weingarten near Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg .-First foundation:...
. On behalf of Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg
William of Jülich-Cleves-Berg was a Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg .William was born in and died in Düsseldorf. He was the only son of John III, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, and Maria, Duchess of Jülich-Berg. William took over rule of his father's estates upon his death in 1539...
in 1555 he requested permission from the Pope for the establishment of a university at Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
. After leaving the priesthood and marrying, in 1559, he settled in Zevenaar
Zevenaar
Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany.- Population centres :*Angerlo*Babberich*Giesbeek*Lathum*Ooy*Oud Zevenaar*Zevenaar...
and in the last years of his life published several works.
Masius studied Hebrew in Leuven, Arabic in Rome with Guillaume Postel
Guillaume Postel
Guillaume Postel was a French linguist, astronomer, Cabbalist, diplomat, professor, and religious universalist.Born in the village of Barenton in Basse-Normandie, Postel made his way to Paris to further his education...
and in 1553 Syriac with Moses of Mardin, a priest of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Syria. In the same year in Rome he translated two creedal documents from Syriac for Yohannan Sulaqa
Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa
Mar Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa was the first Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, from 1553 to 1555....
, the (anti-)patriarch-elect of the Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
. In 1554, probably in Germany, he made a Latin translation of the Syriac 'Basilius-Anaphora' for Julius von Pflug
Julius von Pflug
Julius von Pflug was the last Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Naumburg from 1542 until his death. He was one of the most significant reformers involved with the Protestant Reformation....
(† 3. September 1564), the last Catholic bishop of Naumberg-Zeitz. These were printed together with Masius' translation of the treatise De Paradiso of Moses Bar-Kepha
Moses Bar-Kepha
Moses Bar-Kepha was a writer and one of the most celebrated bishops of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the ninth century....
.
In 1571 Masius published his Grammatica linguae syricae as well as the dictionary Syrorum Peculium. Hoc est, vocabula apud Syros scriptores passim vsurpata, at the Plantin press
Plantin Press
The Plantin Press at Antwerp was one of the focal centers of the fine printed book in the 16th century.Christophe Plantin of Touraine, trained as a bookbinder, fled from Paris, where at least one printer had recently been burned at the stake for heresy, for Antwerp, where he bound books, became a...
in Antwerp.
He died in Zevenaar
Zevenaar
Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany.- Population centres :*Angerlo*Babberich*Giesbeek*Lathum*Ooy*Oud Zevenaar*Zevenaar...
in 1573.
Literature
- Albert van Roey: Les études syriaques d'Andreas Masius. In: Orientalia Lovaniensia Periodica 9 (1978), 141-158.
- M. Lossen, Briefe von Andreas Masius und seinen Freunden (1538)
- J. W. Wesselius, The Syriac Correspondence of Andreas Masius: A Preliminary Report
External links
- Syriac Mss at Yale - contains an account of Masius's life.