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Petrus Canisius

St. Peter Canisius, S.J.
Saint Petrus Canisius.jpg
Priest, Religious and Doctor of the Church
Born (1521-05-08)8 May 1521
Nijmegen, Duchy of Guelders, Habsburg Netherlands
Died 21 December 1597(1597-12-21) (aged 76)
Fribourg, Switzerland
Venerated in Catholic Church
Beatified 1864, Rome by Pope Pius IX
Canonized 21 May 1925, Rome by Pope Pius XI
Major shrine College of St. Michael
Fribourg, Switzerland
Feast 21 December; 27 April (General Roman Calendar, 1926–1969)
Patronage Catholic press, Germany

Peter Canisius, S.J. (Dutch: Pieter Kanis, 8 May 1521 – 21 December 1597) was a renowned Dutch Jesuit Catholic priest. He became known for his strong support for the Catholic faith during the Protestant Reformation in Germany, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, and Switzerland. The restoration of the Catholic Church in Germany after the Protestant Reformation is largely attributed to the work there of the Society of Jesus, which he led. He is venerated in the Catholic Church as a saint and as a Doctor of the Church.

He was born in 1521 in Nijmegen in the Duchy of Guelders, which, until 1549, was part of the Habsburg Netherlands within the Holy Roman Empire and is now the Netherlands. His father was the wealthy burgermeister, Jacob Kanis; his mother, Ægidia van Houweningen, who died shortly after Peter's birth. He was sent to study at the University of Cologne, where he earned a Master's degree in 1540, at the age of 19. While there, he met Peter Faber, one of the founders of the Society of Jesus. Through him, Canisius became the first Dutchman to join the newly founded Society of Jesus in 1543.


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