Petrus Canisius (May 8, 1521 – December 21, 1597) was a Roman Catholic teacher and preacher in Germany, Austria, and Bohemia, fighting against the spread of Protestantism. May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... Events January 3 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events January 24 - Battle of Turnhout. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... In education, teachers are those who teach students or pupils, often a course of study or a practical skill. ... Preacher is a colloquial term for a clergyman, in particular a local priest, pastor or Minister; one who preaches. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... Bohemia is also a place in the State of United States of America: see Bohemia, New York. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

Born in Nijmegen, then part of Germany (part of modern-day Netherlands), he became the first German to join the Jesuit order. Through his work in the order he became one of the most influential Catholic teachers of his time, especially through his "German catechism", a book that defined the basic principles of Catholicism in the German language and found many readers in German-speaking countries. By the time of his death, the Jesuit order in Germany had gone from essentially nonexistent (he was the first German member) to a powerful tool for the defence of Catholicism. He was offered the post of bishop of Vienna, but declined in order to continue his travelling and teachings. However, he was administrator of the Diocese of Vienna from 1554 to 1555. Nijmegen (obsolete spellings: Nijmwegen, Nymegen, Nieumeghen — known in German as Nimwegen, French as Nimègue, and Spanish as Nimega) is a municipality and a city in the east of the Netherlands, near the German border. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... This article is about the city and federal state in Austria. ... Events February 12 - After claiming the throne of England the previous year, Lady Jane Grey is beheaded for treason alongside her husband. ... Events Russia breaks 60 year old truce with Finland May 23 - Paul IV becomes Pope. ...

In Nijmegen schools, a hospital and a street are named after him. In Vienna, a street (Canisiusgasse) is named after him.

He is a saint and Doctor of the Church in the Roman Catholic Church whose feast day is April 27. General definition of saint In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ... In Roman Catholicism, a Doctor of the Church is a theologian from whose teachings the whole Christian church is held to have derived great advantage and to whom eminent learning and great sanctity have been attributed by a proclamation of the Pope or of an ecumenical council. ... The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with a saint, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ...

Works

• (1555) Summa doctrinae christianae
• (1556) Catechismus minimus
• (1558) Parvus catechismus catholicorum