Johann Lohel

Johann Lohelius (1549 – November 2, 1622), better known as Johann Lohel, was the archbishop of Prague from September 18, 1612, until his death.

Early life Born in 1549 in a poor family, Johann was piously brought up. At fifteen he was engaged as a domestic in the Norbertine Teplá Abbey , but was allowed to follow the classes in the abbey school; he soon surpassed his fellow students, and in 1573 received the Norbertine habit. After a two-years novitiate, Lohelius went to study philosophy at Prague. He was ordained in 1576 and was recalled to the abbey. He gave a course of sermons at Tepl, with whom he reconverted many Lutherans back to Catholicism.

In 1579 he became prior of Mount Sion Abbey, at Strahov. The abbot and he strove, with some success, to lift the abbey out of the unfortunate state into which it had fallen. Lohelius was soon called back to Tepl. However, he was in 1583 allowed to resume the office of prior of Strahov. This strengthened them and, after having gained the upper hand in Prague, they began persecuting the clergy and expelled many priests, regular and secular. The cathedral, property of the Crown (as part of the Royal Castle ) and not of the Church, was altered to suit the Calvinistic worship; the altars were demolished, and the paintings and statues destroyed in December 1619. Lohelius had to take refuge in Vienna, where he remained until November 1620. After the battle of White Mountain, the archbishop and his chapter, as well as the Jesuits and other religious, returned to Prague. The cathedral, cleansed and refurnished, was again consecrated on 28 February 1621. Lohelius died soon after, of a slow fever on November 2, 1622; he was buried in the church of Strahov.