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Dionysius the Carthusian

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(called also Dionys. of Ryckel, from his birthplace, or Dionys of Leewis or Leuwis, from his family name), was born at Ryckel, near Liege, Belgium, in 1403; studied at Cologne, and wrote in his 20th year a treatise de ente et essentia. At 21 (before which age the Carthusian rule would not admit him) he entered the monastery of Roermond, in Guelders, where he remained 48 years, till his death in 1471. His life was spent in diligent study, and in self-mortification of the strictest kind. His fame as a scholar gave him great influence both within and without the monastery, and obtained him the title of Doctor Ecstaticus. He wrote rapidly and voluminously: over 100 works are ascribed to him, among which are commentaries on Dionysius Areop., Thomas Aquinas, Peter Lombard, etc.; but the most important, perhaps, is Enarrationes or Commentarii in Sacr. Script., a commentary on the whole Bible, 24 volumes; and also 10 volumes, fol. Cologne, said to be carefully compiled from the fathers and ecclesiastical writers. See Fabricius, Bibliotheca Lal. volume 4; Cave, Hist. Lit. (Genev. 1720), appendix, page 108; Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchen- Lexikon, 3:166; Schr ckh, Kirchengeschichte, 34:117 sq.