JULIUS ECHTER. — Bishop, b. at Mespelbrunn (Spessart) on 18 March 1545, d. at Würzburg on 13 Sept. 1617. He studied at Paris, Angers, Pavia and elsewhere; having taken a degree in law, on 20 Dec. 1573 he was appointed Bishop of Würzburg, where he had been dean of the cathedral since 1570; he was ordained priest and consecrated bishop in May 1575.
He devoted himself zealously to the application of the Tridentine reform, so much so that he permanently restored his diocese to Catholicism. Endowed with religious spirit, firm will and intelligence, he founded a seminary, expanded the University of Würzburg’s Jesuit College (1582), established three boarding schools, built about 300 churches and the famous Jüdischspital (1579). The influence of his reforming activity extended even into the neighboring territories of Fulda and Bambergia. He governed the diocese for 43 years and is remembered as the most distinguished bishop of his city.