SIMOR, JOHANN. — Cardinal, born 23 Aug. 1813 at Székesfehérvár (Stuhlweissenburg), died 24 Jan. 1891 at Strigonia.
Ordained priest in 1836, in 1839 professor of theology at the University of Budapest, in 1841 prefect of studies at the Pazmanian Seminary in Vienna, in 1850 court chaplain, in 1851 section counselor for Hungarian affairs at the Ministry of Worship in Vienna, he was named in 1857 bishop of Győr (Raab) and in 1867 archbishop of Strigonia and primate of Hungary. In that capacity he crowned Emperor Francis Joseph, after the Austro-Hungarian Ausgleich, as king of Hungary. At the Vatican Council he was among the anti-infallibilists, justifying himself with the special situation of Hungary. In his view the definition of infallibility would greatly hinder the return to the Catholic Church of the schismatics, who were very numerous in the Hungarian kingdom. Moreover, it could also give rise to great difficulties for the adherence of the Easterns already united to the Church. After the approval of the conciliar decrees, S. promptly addressed three pastoral letters to his clergy and faithful on their content and on the dogma, and vigorously protested to the King-Emperor against the governmental attempt to subject the publication of the decrees to royal approval. On 22 Dec. 1873 he was created cardinal. Of wealthy family, he employed his patrimony in ecclesiastical and cultural works. He completed the construction of the basilica of Strigonia, where he also built a new archiepiscopal palace.