Merkelis Giedraitis

Merkelis Giedraitis
Bishop of Samogitia
Portrait of Giedraitis from 1585
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Diocese	Diocese of Samogitia
Installed	16 January 1576
Term ended	6 April 1609
Predecessor	Jurgis Petkūnas
Successor	Mikołaj Pac
Orders
Ordination	1571
Consecration	Easter 1576 by Walerian Protasewicz
Personal details
Born	c. 1536 Videniškiai?, Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Died	6 April 1609 Alsėdžiai, Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Buried	Varniai Cathedral
Nationality	Lithuanian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Matas Giedraitis [lt] and Anna Kroszyńska[1]
Alma mater	University of Königsberg University of Wittenberg University of Tübingen University of Leipzig

Merkelis Giedraitis (Polish: Melchior Giedroyć; c. 1536 – 6 April 1609) was Bishop of Samogitia from 1576 to 1609. Educated at Protestant universities in the Duchy of Prussia and Germany, he actively combated the Reformation implementing resolutions of the Council of Trent in Samogitia. Born into the princely Giedraičiai family, he inherited a much neglected diocese that was reduced to only about 20 priests. He became known for his devotion and work to end clerical abuses, strengthen churches and schools, and increase the number of priests. Giedraitis invited the Jesuits to Kražiai where the Kražiai College was established already after his death and the Bernadines to Kretinga where they established the first monastery in Samogitia. He sponsored Mikalojus Daukša, who translated and published Catechism (1595) and Postil (1599) in the Lithuanian language—the first Lithuanian books printed within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He also supported Maciej Stryjkowski, author of the first printed history of Lithuania. In recognition of his efforts, Giedraitis is often referred to as the second baptist of Samogitia^[2][3] (the first official baptism of Samogitia took place in 1413–1417).