Celestyn Myślenta
Cölestin Myslenta (Polish: Celestyn Myslenta, also Mislenski, born March 27 1588 in Kutten (Polish: Kuty), died 20 April 1653 in Königsberg (Polish: Królewiec)) was Polish Lutheran theologian and rector of University of Königsberg. Cölestin was the son of Mateusz and Eufroza nee Wiercinska. His father, who belonged to the Polish nobility was a stipendiary of the duke of Prussia and Lutheran pastor in Kutten from 1581-1599.[1]
Myslenta studied Latin in Angerburg, Frydland and at the university of Königsberg. 1609 he relocated to Wittenberg to study Protestant theology under Leonhard Hutter, Friedrich Balduin and Friedrich Meisner. In 1615 he spent some months in Leipzig and later moved to Gießen to study at the local university, where his disputation in Hebrew drew much attention. His knowledge of oriental languages was gained during his stay in Frankfurt under Christoph Helvig, Johannes Gisenius and in conversations with the Jews of Frankfurt, who introduced him to rabbinic literature. He continued his studies in Gießen and received his doctorate in 1619. During a educational journey he also visited the universities of Jena, Tübingen, Leiden and Basel, where he broadened his knowledge of oriental languages under Johannes Buxtorf and Thomas van Erpe.[2]
In 1619 he was appointed by Prussian duke John Sigismund to the university of Königsberg as a professor extraordinarius of theology, and in 1621 as professor ordinarius of Hebrew. He served as an assessor for the Consistory of Sambia from 1622 on, he was the pastor of the Königsberg cathedral beginning in 1626 and superintendent for religious education in the Sambia region since 1640. 1637/38 he married Regina Winter von Sternenfeld, widow of Henning Wegner, a former jurist at the university.
As a superintendent he insisted on the introduction of Polish as language of instruction, in addition to Latin.[citation needed]