BELLESHEIM, ALFONS. — Born at Monschau on 16 Dec. 1839, died in Aachen on 5 Jan. 1912; ordained priest in 1862, canon of Cologne in 1886, provost canon of the cathedral of Aachen in 1902. Although he attended to pastoral care, he was able to perfect himself in historical studies and left a valuable history of the Scottish Church (Geschichte der kath. Kirche in Schottland, 2 vols., Mainz 1883) and another on the Irish Church (Gesch. der Kath. Kirche in Irland, 3 vols., ibid. 1890–91); he also wrote appreciated biographies of Cardinals Allen (1885), Mezzofanti (1880), and Manning (1892). He also fruitfully took an interest in studies of Christian archaeology.
BIBL.: G. Grisar, s. V. in DHG, VII. 877.