Godfrey Henschen

Godfrey Henschen [Henskens, Henschenius.] (21 June1601–11 September1681) was a Belgian Jesuit hagiographer, one of the first Bollandists. [CathEncy|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07240a.htm|title=Godfrey Henschen]

He was born at Venray, Limburg, the son of Henry Henschen, a cloth merchant, and Sibylla Pauwels, he studied the humanities at the Jesuit College of Bois-le-Duc ('s Hertogenbosch) and entered the novitiate at Mechlin, 22 October, 1619. He taught successively Greek, poetry, and rhetoric at Bergues, Bailleul, Ypres, and Ghent. He was ordained priest on 16 April, 1634, sent to the professed house at Antwerp the following year, and admitted to the profession of the four vows on 12 May, 1636.

From the time of his arrival in the city he was associated as collaborator with Father Bollandus, who was then preparing the first volumes of the "Acta Sanctorum". It was Henschen who, by his commentary on the "Acts of St. Amand", suggested to Bolandus the course to follow, and gave to the work undertaken by his master its definitive form.

Henschen journey in company with Daniel Papebroch, to Italy, France, and Germany (22 July, 1660-21 December, 1662). Henschen was the first librarian of the museum Bollandianum at Antwerp.

Henschen died at Antwerp aged 80 in 1681.

Works

He collaborated on the volumes for January, February, March, and April, and on the first six volumes for May, that is on seventeen volumes of the "Acta Sanctorum". Several of his posthumous commentaries appeared in the succeeding volumes. A list of some other works from his pen will be found in De Backer's "Bibliothèque des escrivains de la Compagnie de Jésus".

References

*Papebroch, "De vitâ, operibus, et virtutibus God. Henschenii" in Acta SS., VII, May
*Habets, "Godfried Henschenius medestichter der Acta Sanctorum" (Maastricht, 1868).

Notes