Assuero Bispiach

Sentence

Court

Inquisition of Bologna

Local judge

Paolo Vicari da Garessio

Sentence date

May 1616

Sentence place

Bologna, Papal States, San Domenico

Crime category

Formal heresy

List of crimes

• Christ was not born of the Most Blessed Virgin, but solely of the Holy Spirit.

• The Most Blessed Virgin may never have existed in the world.

• The saints are not to be venerated, nor should one call them “saints”, but merely “friends and beloved of God”.

• There is no Purgatory; the soul must be purified in this life.

• The Supreme Pontiff does not have the power to grant indulgences.

• Images of the saints are not to be adored.

• The priest has no authority to absolve sins, but only to admonish the faithful.

• The Holy Church cannot command fasting under pain of mortal sin, nor can it impose tithes.

• It is impossible to fully observe the Lenten fast.

• The consecrated host is not the true Body and Blood of Christ.

• The faithful are not obligated to attend Mass.

• The Apostles and Evangelists were not enlightened by the Holy Spirit when composing the Sacred Scriptures.

• The Roman Church at times teaches erroneous doctrine.

• The Church is fallible, and even Sacred Scripture may contain errors.

• The observance of feast days is not binding.

• The consumption of meat on prohibited days is not sinful.

• The Blessed Virgin was neither a virgin nor of noble and royal lineage.

• The Pope holds no authority over subjects in foreign realms; rather, he ought himself to be subject to the Emperor and other secular princes.

• The Pope is an Antichrist.

Reason for conviction

Pertinacious / impenitent

Accessory penalties