LOCH, VALENTIN. - Catholic theologian and exegete, born in Bamberg on 24 September 1813, died there on 14 June 1893. He pursued theological studies in Bamberg and Munich. He served as professor of theology in Amberg (1843–63), then as professor of exegesis in Bamberg (1865–84), and president of the Historical Association of Bamberg (1875–83).
He is known for the German translation of Holy Scripture, in collaboration with W. Reischl (4 vols., Regensburg 1851–66; reprinted there repeatedly until 1915).
He was also a distinguished editor of the Biblia Sacra Vulgatae editionis (4 vols., Regensburg 1849; 11th ed., ibid. 1911); Novum Testamentum graece et latine (ibid. 1862); Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interpretes (ibid. 1866; 2nd ed., ibid. 1886). He left other works on scriptural topics; also: Materialien zu einer lateinischen Grammatik der Vulgata (Bamberg 1870). Loch also prepared a new edition of the Lexicon Graeco-Latinum in libros Novi Testamenti by Ch. G. Wilke (Regensburg 1858).
His literary activity extended, beyond local church history, to dogmatic theology; he produced the German version of the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent (Regensburg 1869) and of the Roman Catechism (ibid. 1872).