Michaelis, Sebastien

Michaelis, Sebastien a French Dominican, was born in 1543, at Saint-Zacharie, Provence. He introduced reforms into many houses of his order, for which, with the consent of the court of Rome, he raised a particular congregation. Michaelis was the first vicar-general of this body, and, after having refused in 1579 the bishopric of Frejus, became prior of the new convent of the Friar Preachers at Paris in 1613. He may be regarded as the restorer of the Order of St. Dominicin France, a work with which in our days Lacordaire's name has figured prominently. Besides some religious works, he wrote L'Histoire veritable de ce qui s'est passe sous l'exorcisme de trois filles possedees au pays de Flandre, avec un Traite des Sorciers et des Magiciens (Paris, 1623, 2 volumes, 8vo); and edited Le Fevre, Calendrier historique et chronologique de l'Eglise de Paris. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.