Quick Facts
Biography
Willibrord van Os served as the thirteenth Archbishop of Utrecht from 1814 to 1825.
Early Ministry
Before serving as Archbishop of Utrecht, van Os served as grand vicar of the Archbishop of Utrecht.
After the death of Archbishop Johannes Jacobus van Rhijn, King Louis Bonaparte forbade the Chapter of Utrecht to elect a successor. After Louis’ resignation in 1810, the kingdom was annexed to the French Empire, and his brother, Napoleon, visited Utrecht in 1811. According to C.B. Moss, van Os met Napoleon and resisted the emperor’s plan to confiscate the revenues of the Church. Neale writes: “He boldly and resolutely withstood the man to whose iron will Pius VII had yielded.”
Archbishop of Utrecht
Before Napoleon could bring Utrecht into submission to the Roman Catholic Church, the French were driven from the Netherlands, and the Chapter of Utrecht chose van Os as bishop-elect. He was consecrated by Bishop Gisbertus de Jong on April 24, 1814.
Death
Van Os died at Amersfoort on February 28, 1825.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Johannes Jacobus van Rhijn 1797-1808 | Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht 1814-1825 | Succeeded by Johannes van Santen 1825-1858 |