Holzhauser, Bartholomaus

Holzhauser, Bartholomaus Founder of the order of Bartholomites (q.v.) was born at Langnau, Switzerland, in 1613, and was brought up to his father's trade, shoemaking. By the exertions of some charitable persons he was admitted into an establishment for poor students at Neuburg, and afterwards studied philosophy at Ingolstadt under the Jesuits. Ordained priest in 1639, he conceived the idea of bringing back the priesthood to the common life of the primitive Church. He founded at Tittmoningen an institution intended to show the working of his system, and in 1640 founded a preparatory seminary at Salzburg in connection with it. He was successively curate of Tittmoningen, Loggenthal, and Bingen, where he died in 1658. His zeal and ascetic practices inclined him to revery and exaltation, so that he claimed to have visions; and it is said that, having been visited by Charles II, then a fugitive, he predicted that a better future awaited him. He wrote, Constitutiones cum exercitiis clericorum (Colon. 1662 sq.; approved by the Church of Rome in 1680) — De humilitate, together with a treatise On the Love of God (Mayence, 1663) — Opusculuns visionum variarum. A biography of Holzhauser, and a German translation of his works, were published by Clarus (Ratisbon, 1852); a French translation, with a biography, by Gaduel (Paris, 1861). — Ersch und Gruber, Ally. Encyklopadie; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, 25, 14; Herzog, Real- Encyklop. 1, 700. (J.N.P.)