Joris Leerse (d. 1560)
Joris Leerse (called only Joris in the Martyrs' Mirror) was an Anabaptist martyr drowned at the Steen castle at Antwerp, Belgium on 9 November 1560, with Joachim Ooms. When they were being led to the execution site they sang: "O Heere, gy staet altijd in mijnen sine" (Lord, Thou art always in my mind). At the stake they began to sing the farewell hymn, "Oorlof aen broeders en susters gemeyn" (Farewell to all the brethren and sisters). Joris said, "Lord, Thou knowest that I have sought Thee and my salvation; and for this cause I must now die. Therefore, O Lord, receive me graciously." He also said, "Citizens of Antwerp, fear not; though we die for the truth, Christ our Lord went before and we must follow Him." To commemorate their death the song "O Heere God eeuwich Vader verheven" (O Lord, our God eternal and mighty Father), was written, which is found both in the Lietboecxken van den Offer des Heeren of 1563 and the Nieu Liedenboeck of 1562. This song and also the Dutch martyr books, including van Braght's Martyrs' Mirror, state that these martyrs were burned at the stake, but the official documents say they were drowned. Joris Leerse was a native of Lier in the Brabant, Belgium.
Bibliography
Dit Boec wort genoemt: Het Offer des Herren, om het inhout van sommighe opgheofferde kinderen Godts . . . N.p., 1570: 560-562.
Braght, Thieleman J. van. Het Bloedigh Tooneel of Martelaers Spiegel der Doops-gesinde of Weereloose Christenen, Die om 't getuygenis van Jesus haren Salighmaker geleden hebben ende gedood zijn van Christi tijd of tot desen tijd toe. Den Tweeden Druk. Amsterdam: Hieronymus Sweerts, …, 1685. Part II: 275.
Braght, Thieleman J. van. The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 644. Available online at: http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm.
Génard, P. Antwerpsch archievenblad: IX, 115, 121; XIV, 30 f., No. 333.
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 435.
Wolkan, Rudolf. Die Lieder der Wiedertäufer. Berlin, 1903. Reprinted Nieuwkoop: B. De Graaf, 1965: 62, 72.
| Author(s) | Christian Neff |
|---|---|
| Nanne van der Zijpp | |
| Date Published | 1957 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Neff, Christian and Nanne van der Zijpp. "Joris Leerse (d. 1560)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Joris_Leerse_(d._1560)&oldid=105728.
APA style
Neff, Christian and Nanne van der Zijpp. (1957). Joris Leerse (d. 1560). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Joris_Leerse_(d._1560)&oldid=105728.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 123. All rights reserved.
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