Pomponio Algerio
Encyclopedia
Pomponio Algerio was a civil law
student at the University of Padua
whose radical theological beliefs attracted the attention of the Roman Inquisition
. At his trial, he wore his academic hat
and gown to remind the tribunal that, as a student, he had the right to freely express his ideas. From the transcript of Pomponio Algerio at his trial:
After refusing to conform to Church doctrine, he was sentenced to prison and asked to reconsider his beliefs. After a year behind bars, he still refused to reconsider. Because Venetian authorities would not consent to an execution, Pope Paul IV
sent officials to extradite Pomponio to Rome. In Rome, on August 21, 1555, a monk from the brotherhood of St John the Beheaded visited Pomponio in his cell urging him to repent. If he repented, he would be strangled before burning. The 24-year-old student refused.
One year later, on August 22, 1556, he was executed by civil authorities in the Piazza Navona
. Maintaining his composure while he was boiled in oil, he stayed alive for 15 minutes before dying.
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
student at the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
whose radical theological beliefs attracted the attention of the Roman Inquisition
Roman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
. At his trial, he wore his academic hat
Square academic cap
The square academic cap, graduate cap, or mortarboard or Oxford cap, is an item of academic head dress consisting of a horizontal square board fixed upon a skull-cap, with a tassel attached to the center...
and gown to remind the tribunal that, as a student, he had the right to freely express his ideas. From the transcript of Pomponio Algerio at his trial:
- "I say that the Church deviates from the truth in so far as it says that a man could not do anything in any way good on his own, since nothing praiseworthy can proceed from our corrupt infected natureOriginal sinOriginal sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
except to the extent that the lord God gives us his graceDivine graceIn Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
... the Roman Catholic Church is a particular Church and no Christian should restrict himself to any particular Church. This Church deviates in many things from truth."
After refusing to conform to Church doctrine, he was sentenced to prison and asked to reconsider his beliefs. After a year behind bars, he still refused to reconsider. Because Venetian authorities would not consent to an execution, Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, C.R. , né Giovanni Pietro Carafa, was Pope from 23 May 1555 until his death.-Early life:Giovanni Pietro Carafa was born in Capriglia Irpina, near Avellino, into a prominent noble family of Naples...
sent officials to extradite Pomponio to Rome. In Rome, on August 21, 1555, a monk from the brotherhood of St John the Beheaded visited Pomponio in his cell urging him to repent. If he repented, he would be strangled before burning. The 24-year-old student refused.
One year later, on August 22, 1556, he was executed by civil authorities in the Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a city square in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in 1st century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans came there to watch the agones , and hence it was known as 'Circus Agonalis'...
. Maintaining his composure while he was boiled in oil, he stayed alive for 15 minutes before dying.