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Matthias Tanner

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Matthias Tanner (Czech: Matěj Tanner, German: Mathias Tanner; 28 February 1630 – 8 February 1692) was a Czech Jesuit and writer.

Biography

Matthias Tanner was born on 28 February 1630 in Plzeň, Bohemia. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1646. The greatest part of his life was spent at Prague, where he taught humanities, philosophy, theology, and Scripture, was made rector of the imperial university, and guided for six years the Bohemian province of his order.

Tanner frequently retold the stories of prominent Jesuits, hoping to inspire other members of his order to imitate them. He was also known for his extreme reverence while celebrating Mass; his biographer describes the sight attracting crowds to the altar.

He died in Prague on 8 February 1692.

Works

Tanner wrote two Jesuit hagiographies:

  • Societas Jesu ad sanguinis et vitae profusionem militans ("A history of the lives and deaths of those Jesuits who suffered martyrdom for the faith")
  • Societas Jesu Apostolorum imitatrix (describing the history of Jesuit missionaries)

His other works include:

  • Explanation of the Bloody Sacrifice of Christ in the Unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass (three editions)
  • a pamphlet proclaiming God's wrath against those who should dare to desecrate holy temples by their misbehavior
  • Dialogus controversisticus, a widely-read work on the validity of the Holy orders conferred on Andrew Frommens during the lifetime of his wife.

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Matthias Tanner — Born at Pilsen in Bohemia, 28 Feb., 1630; died at Prague, 8 Feb., 1692. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1646. The greatest part of his life was spent at Prague, where he taught humanities, philosophy, theology, and Scripture, was made rector of the imperial university, and guided for six years the Bohemian province of his order. Not only did Tanner burn to imitate the apostles and martyrs of the society, but, to awaken in his brethren a like desire, he employed his leisure hours in recounting to them the lives and deaths of the most prominent sons of St. Ignatius. His two works, "Societas Jesu ad sanguinis et vitae profusionem militans" (a history of the lives and deaths of those Jesuits who suffered martyrdom for the faith) and "Societas Jesu Apostolorum imitatrix" (describing the heroic deeds and virtues of the Jesuits who laboured in all parts of the world with extraordinary success for the salvation of souls) were written in this spirit. He paid special attention to reverence and devotion during the holy sacrifice of the Mass. According to his biographer, he used to celebrate with such living piety that he was like a lodestone, attracting the faithful to the altar where he offered the sacrifice. To foster this reverence in others, he wrote two other works, "Explanation of the Bloody Sacrifice of Christ in the Unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass", which was re-edited three times, and a pamphlet proclaiming God's wrath against those who should dare to desecrate holy temples by their misbehaviour. His name became more widely known through his work, "Dialogus controversisticus" on the validity of the Holy orders conferred on Andrew Frommens during the lifetime of his wife.

SOMMERVOGEL, Bibl. de la C. de J., VII, 1858-61; DE GUILLEMY, Menologe. Assistance de Germanie, I, 132-34; FELLER, Dict. hist., VIII, 357 -58; HURTER, Nomenclator, I, 254; II, 561.

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