Peder Palladius

1503-1560. Danish bishop and Reformer. Seized by the Reformation movement about 1530, he pursued theological studies at Wittenberg (1531-37) where he became closely connected with Melanchthon and Bugenhagen. On the latter's recommendation Palladius was appointed the first Evangelical bishop of Zealand, the main diocese of Denmark. From 1538 he was also a professor of theology at the University of Copenhagen. As a man of solid theological learning, endowed with great administrative talents, and as a gifted and eloquent popular preacher, Palladius was highly qualified for the task of carrying out the Reformation in the local congregations. He worked at this with untiring energy and zeal; a very interesting and famous memorial of this is his Book of Visitations, with its many examples of blunt application of Evangelical teaching upon various life situations. Palladius was also the author of the 1556 Service Book and had a share in the translation of Christian III's Danish Bible (1550).