Vitez Kristov dr. Ivan Merz

The biography was published in 1943, on the 15th anniversary of the death of Blessed Ivan Merz. In the preface, Father J. Vrbanek describes how and for what purpose this biography was created. Although it was already talked about before, it was only on the 15th anniversary of his death that the public initiated the initiative that the procedure for the beatification of Ivan Merz should be started. Therefore, Fr. J. Vrbanek was asked by numerous worshipers and followers of Blessed Ivan and as his priest compiled this biography, but not in the classical form according to the chronological course of the life of Blessed Ivan, but he prepared it according to the rules of the procedure for the beatification of God's favored ones: he presented the figure and actions of Blessed Merz according to Christian virtues, trying to prove their heroism, which is the basic condition for the beatification of one who is pleased with God. In addition, Father Vrbanek brought numerous details from the life of Blessed Ivan that are not in the first biography by Dr. Kniewald, so this biography of him is a supplement to the first one. In addition, this biography of blessed John is of great value from another point of view: it was written by John's spiritual leader who knew blessed John best in the third and last period of his life. Therefore, anyone who wants to get a complete insight into the spirituality of blessed Ivan Merz cannot pass this book, which was written by a direct witness of blessed Ivan's ascent to the mountain of Christian perfection and his conquest of the pinnacle of Christian virtues.