Veith, Johann Emmanuel

Veith, Johann Emmanuel a Roman Catholic divine, was born of Jewish parentage, July 10, 1787, at Kuttenplan, in Bohemia. He studied medicine at Prague, and continued the same at Vienna, where, in 1810, he embraced Christianity. As a physician he occupied the highest civic and military positions, which he soon exchanged for the study of theology. The learned professor of medicine became a student of theology, and in 1820 he joined the Order of the Redemptorists, and in 1821 received holy orders. He now commenced preaching, and his church was thronged with eager listeners. But the liberal man, with his great independent spirit and witty humor, did not exactly agree with the strict order, and in 1831 he was appointed preacher of St. Stephen's. Here he attracted all ranks of society, and exerted a great power. It was remarkable how Veith, whose outward appearance was the least attractive, influenced all classes of Vienna society, from the highest to the lowest. In 1845 bodily infirmities obliged him to retire from his high position, and in 1847 cardinal-prince Schwarzenberg made him honorary dean of his cathedral at Prague. In 1848 the University of Vienna honored him with the doctorate of theology. He died Nov. 5, 1876. Besides some medical works, Veith published a great many homiletical and ascetical works, as Die heiligen Berge (Vienna, 1833-35, 2 vols.): — Die Erweckung des Lazarus (ibid. 1842): — Lebensbilder aus der Passionsgeschichte (ibid. 1830): — Der verlorene Sohn (ibid. 1838): — Das Vater Unser (3rd ed. ibid. 1842): — Homiletische Vortriage fur Sonn u. Festtage (2nd ed. 1835-37, 3 vols.): — Weltleben u. Christenthum (ibid. 1851 ): — Die Worte der Feinde Christi (ibid. 1829, etc.). See Rosenthal, Convertitenbilder, 1, 217 sq. (Schaffhausen, 1871); Brahl, Gesch. d. kathol. Literatur Deutschlands, p. 410; Literarischer Handiweiser fiur das kathol. Deutschland, 1876, p. 532 sq.; Delitzsch, Saat auf Hoffung, 1877, p. 25 sq. (B. P.)