Raiiieri, St., an Italian ascetic of mediaeval times, was born, in or about the year 1100, of a noble family of Pisa. In his youth, the Romish legends say, he had a vision : an eagle appeared to him, bearing in his beak a blazing light, and said, " I come from Jerusalem to enlighten the nations." But Ranieri refused to heed this call to a religious life, and gave himself up to pleasure. But, in the midst of his debaucheries, he was one day surprised by the visit of a holy man, who persuaded him to desert his sinful life. Soon he em- barked for Jerusalem, where he took off bis own gar- ments, and wore the schiavina, or slave-shirt, ever after in token of humility. For twenty years he was a her- mit in the deserts of Palestine, and during this time is reputed to have had numberless visions. On one oc- casion, he felt his vows of abstinence to be almost more than he could keep. He then had a vision of a gold- en vase, set with precious stones, and full of oil, pitch, and sulphur. These were set on tire, and none could quench the flames. Then there was put into his hands a small ewer of water; and when he turned on but a few drops, the fire was extinguished. This vision he believed ro signify human passions by the pitch and sulphur, but the water was the emblem of temperance. He then determined to live on bread and water alone. His reverence for water was very great, and most of his miracles were performed through the use of it; so that he was called San Ranieri deW Acqua. But when he tarried with a host who cheated his guests by putting water in his wine, the saint did not hesitate to expose the fraud; for he revealed to all present the figure of Satan, sitting on one of the wine-casks, in the form of a huge cat with the wings of a bat. He did many mira- cles after his return to Pisa, and made converts by the sanctity of his life and example. When he died (July 17, 1161), man}' miraculous manifestations bore witness to his eminent holiness. All the bells in Pisa were spontaneously tolled; and the archbishop Villani, who had been sick in bed for two years, was cured to attend his funeral. At the moment in the funeral service when it was the custom to omit the Gloria in Exa l- sis, it was sung by a choir of angels above the altar; while the organ accompanied them without being play- ed by any perceptible bands. The harmony of this chant was so exquisite that those who heard it thought the very heavens were opened. He was buried in a tomb in the Duomo. After the plague in Pisa in 1356, the life of this saint was painted in the Campo Santo by Simone Memmi and Antonio Yeneziano. These frescos are most important in the history of art. and con- sist of eight scenes from the life of St. Ranieri : 1. His conversion; 2. He embarks for Palestine; 3. He assumes the hermit's dress; 4. He has many temptations and visions in the desert; 5. He returns to Pisa; 6. He ex- poses the fraud of the innkeeper; 7. His death and funeral obsequies; 8. His miracles after death.— Mrs. Clement. Hand-book <>/' L<<ji ndary and Mythological A rt, s. v.
Ranke, Carl Ferdinand, doctor of theology and philosophy, and brother of the famous historian. Leopold Ranke, was born at Wiehe. in Tliuringia, in 1802. Hav- ing finished his preparatory studies at the gymnasium in Pforta, he betook himself to the study of philology
and theology. He soon became the head of the Qued- linburg Gymnasium. In 1837 he was called to Gottin- gen, and in 1812 to Berlin, where he not only superin- tended the Frederic-William Gymnasium, but also the Loyal Real-school, the Royal Elizabeth School, etc. He died March 29, 1876. Ranke was not only an able philologist and pedagogue, but also an excellent Chris- tian, and took an active part in the inner mission and Bible Society. He wrote. Plan und Ban des Johan- neischen Evangeliums (Berlin, 1854) : — De Libris Eis- toricis Novi Testamenti (ibid. 1855) : — Clemens von M- exandrien u. Origenes als Tnterpreten der heiligen Schrift (ibid. 1861):— Das Klagelied der Bebraer (ibid. L863), etc. As a contributor to Piper's Evangelical Year-book, be wrote on the apostles Andrew (vii, 94), James the Elder (viii, 139), Timothy (i, 70), Titus (i, 68) ; on Sym- phorianus (xix, 60), Perpetua and Felicitas ( ix, 56), Sat- urninus (xx, 63), Arethas (xiii, 129), Eustasius (xviii, 96), Olaf Petersen (xix, 170), and contributed the Ger- man translation of Clement of Alexandria's hymn, 2r<5- /.nov ttwXiov aCawv, to Piper's monograph on that hvmn (xix, 29.31). See Schneider. Theol. Jahrbuch (1877), p. 227 ; Literarischer Handweiser (1876), p. 235. (B. P.)
Ranke, Friedrich Heinrich, doctor of theology and Ober-Consistorialrath, brotherof Carl Ferdinand, was born at Wiehe in 1797. Having completed bis stud- ies, he labored as a pastor at Riickersdorf, not far from Nuremberg, and then as dean at Thurnau. In 1840 he was appointed ordinary professor of dogmatics at the Erlangen University. In 1841 he was made counsellor of consistory at Bayreuth, and shortly afterwards he was appointed Ober-Consistorialrath. Some years ago he retired from his different offices, and died Sept. 2, 1876. Of his writings we mention, Untersuchungen ilber den Pentateuch (Erlangen, 1834-40, 2 vols.) : — Pre- digten:—Gebete tiber Worte der heil. Schri/t (Frankfort- on- the -Main, 1867):— The Institution of the Lord's Svpper (ibid. xi. 81): — David, in Piper's Evangelical Fear-booJc (viii, 106). See Fiirst. Bibl. Jud. iii, 129; Zuchold, Bibliotheca Theologica. ii. 1028; Winer, Hand- buch der theol, Literaiur, i. 78; ii. 108, 327, 330, 732; Schneider, Theol. Jahrbuch ( 1877), p. 227 ; /.//, rarisch r Eandweisen 1876), p. 235, 550 ; Hauck, Theolog. Jahres- bericht (1867), p. 382. (B. P.)