CODDE, PIETER (CODDAEUS)

Archbishop of Sebaste in partibus, seventh vicar apostolic of the Dutch Mission; b. Amsterdam, Nov. 27, 1648; d. Utrecht, Dec. 18, 1710. He came of an aristocratic family; he pursued his studies at Malines and Louvain. In Paris he joined the Congregation of the Oratory before he was ordained in 1672. He became the vicar-general of Utrecht in 1683 and succeeded Johannes van Neercassel as vicar apostolic five years later. In 1689 he was consecrated archbishop of Sebaste. The Jesuits of the mission and some secular priests stigmatized his doctrine and practices as Jansenistic. At Rome in 1701 Codde wrote three statements in his defense Declaratio, Responsiones, De morte Christi pro omnibus, but three years later he was condemned by a decree of the Inquisition and deprived of spiritual jurisdiction. He furthermore refused to sign the anti-Jansenistic formula of Alexander VII without restriction. This question of Jansenism occasioned the schism of Utrecht in 1723. Some friends attempted to persuade Codde that the pope had exceeded his rights, but he refused to reassume the exercise of his functions, while at the same time he persevered in his protests against his dismissal from office.

Bibliography: p. polman, ed., Romeinse Bronnen, v.3, 4 (The Hague 1952, 1955). l. j. rogier, Geschiedenis van het Katholicisme in Noord-Nederland, 2 v. (Amsterdam 1945–46) 2:268–348. a. c. de veer, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques ed. a. baudrillart et al. (Paris 1912– ) 13:184–188.

[p. polman]