Faith in Action #7: The Monk Who Gave the World Its First Electric Motor

A Hidden Pioneer of Power

Long before names like Edison and Siemens became synonymous with electricity, a quiet Hungarian priest was sparking a revolution in science. Ányos István Jedlik (1800–1895), inventor, physicist, and Benedictine monk, built what many now believe was the world’s first electric motor — yet history has largely overlooked him. In Hungary and Slovakia, he’s hailed as the true father of the dynamo, a title the wider world is only beginning to recognise.

Scholar, Scientist, and Priest

Born in the Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovakia), Jedlik entered the Benedictine Order in 1817 and became known by his Latin name, Stephanus Anianus. After earning his doctorate in Pest, he was ordained in 1825 and quickly turned to teaching. From village grammar schools to the University of Budapest, Jedlik’s classrooms became laboratories of innovation. By 1840, he was a professor of physics-mechanics; by 1863, the university’s rector.

Breaking Scientific and Linguistic Barriers

In an era when Latin ruled academia, Jedlik made history by delivering Hungary’s first university lecture in Hungarian in 1845. It wasn’t just a symbolic move—it was a statement. At the urging of his cousin, linguist Gergely Czuczor, Jedlik created Hungary’s first technical physics vocabulary, helping shape scientific education in the national language.

The Light of Precision

Jedlik’s curiosity stretched far beyond motors. For over 30 years, he obsessively refined optical gratings—tools that split light into its component colours. Frustrated by the poor quality of imported instruments, he built a machine capable of drawing lines with microscopic precision—over 2,000 per millimetre. Powered by his own electric motor, the device marked a breakthrough in spectroscopy, with Jedlik’s gratings still in use as late as the 1960s.

A Brighter Battery

In the 1840s, Jedlik turned to galvanic batteries, seeking a more powerful solution for arc-lighting. His design, using two types of acid separated by paper or clay, outperformed leading European models. Though some of his cells were damaged en route to the 1855 Paris World Exhibition, the intact ones earned a bronze medal. Demand quickly followed—from Paris to Constantinople.

The Legacy Lives On

Jedlik died in peaceful seclusion at a priory in Győr, never chasing fame. Yet his fingerprints are all over modern science—from the batteries in our devices to the motors that drive industry. He may not appear in every textbook, but Ányos Jedlik’s light still shines.

"Faith in Action” highlights inspiring stories of Catholic priests and nuns who have made remarkable contributions in fields like science, law, and technology. These individuals have pioneered inventions, developed cures, and impacted lives beyond the church. Know someone deserving of recognition? Contact editor@catholicconnect.in.