Text

<center>Nicholas Cardinal Cusanus Issue of 1964 Left: Birthplace of Cardinal Nicholas Cusanus (Scott 395) Right: Cardinal's Sepucher (Scott 396)</center> 
Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa was born in Cues, Germany, 1400-1401 to Johann Cryfts (Krebs), a wealthy boatman on the Moselle River. Schooled early in Deventer, he entered the University of Heidelberg in 1416, and in 1417 studied at Padua, becoming a Doctor of Canon Law in 1423, later (1425) finishing his theology at the University of Cologne.
 
He began his public career at the Council of Basle in 1431, where his main efforts were to reform the calendar and to accomplish the religious and political unity of Christendom. As the emissary of Eugenius IV in 1437 he persuaded the Byzantine emperor, the patriarch of Constantinople, and 28 bishops to attend the Council of Florence. Made papal legate in 1438, he represented Eugenius IV at the Diets of Meinz (1441), Frankfurt (1442), Nuremberg (1444) and Frankfurt (1446). Nominated a cardinal by Eugenius IV, he refused, only to be ordered to accept the office by Pope Nicholas V in 1449, with his titular church being St. Peter In Chains.
 
He was appointed bishop of Brixen to reform the diocese, but opposition from Duke Sigismund kept him from occupying it immediately. As Papal Legate to Northern Germany and the Netherlands, he held synods, reformed parishes, and monasteries, and preached a crusade against the Turks with great success, but his own diocese was unable to accomplish any reform because of the opposition of Sigismund. He was imprisoned by the duke but fled to Pope Pius II. The duke defied the excommunication imposed on him until Emperor Frederick III brought about his submission in 1464. Nicholas accompanied Pius II to view the Venetian fleet for the Crusade at Ancona. Sent by the pope to Leghorn to hasten the Genoese fleet, the cardinal died at Todi, Umbria, August 11, 1464. A great administrator, he was also an accomplished scholar, with writings in canon law, philosophy, theology and science.
 
SOURCE: first appeared in Vatican Notes, Volume XIII, Number 4, January-February 1965, page 1 (author anonymous)

Update A Postal Database Record