auto-da-fe
Inquisition's public punishment
Auto-da-fé was the public ceremony in which the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions announced judgments against those accused of heresy.
The term, from Portuguese meaning "act of faith," is most associated with the burning of heretics at the stake, though the ceremony itself included various punishments.
The phrase now appears in historical and literary contexts to evoke religious persecution or, more loosely, any zealous public condemnation: The hearing turned into an auto-da-fé against the accused whistleblower.
Judicial decision-making body
- TorquemadaNotorious Spanish religious enforcer
- inquisitorHarsh, probing questioner
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
blasphemy · excommunication · ecclesiastical · Seville · familiar · denunciation · interrogation · confession
Official court decision
- convictionFirmly held belief
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
- guiltMoral self-reproach
testimony · evidence · prosecution · accused · charges · condemnation · acquittal · absolution
Combustion in progress
- stakeSharpened post or share
- flamesVisible burning combustion
- pyreFuneral burning heap
- immolationSacrificial killing, often burning
fire · heretic · faggots · condemned · blaze · ashes · smoke · charred
Formal moving line
- spectacleVisually striking event
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- publicAvailable to all
reconciliation · absolution · sermon · plaza · scaffold · condemnation · penitent · abjuration
tribunal
Judicial decision-making body
- TorquemadaNotorious Spanish religious enforcer
- inquisitorHarsh, probing questioner
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
apostasy · blasphemy · excommunication · ecclesiastical · Seville · familiar · denunciation · interrogation · confession · torture
verdict
Official court decision
- convictionFirmly held belief
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
guilt · testimony · evidence · prosecution · accused · charges · condemnation · acquittal · absolution · reconciled
burning
Combustion in progress
immolation · fire · heretic · faggots · condemned · blaze · ashes · smoke · charred · relapsed
procession
Formal moving line
- spectacleVisually striking event
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
public · reconciliation · absolution · sermon · plaza · scaffold · condemnation · penitent · abjuration · effigy
- Inquisitioninquisition, heretic, inquisitors, heretics, heresy trial
- religious penaltiesexcommunication, anathema, shunning, disfellowship, banishment
- Portugueseobrigado, ola, oi, sim, fado
- Golden Age SpainSiglo de Oro, Cervantes, Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, Philip II
- heresyheretic, heretical, heretics, apostasy, apostate
- martyrdommartyrs, martyr, Christian martyrs, Catholic martyrs, Stephen
auto-da-fefair trial
Impartial judicial proceeding
due process · habeas corpus · presumption of innocence · acquittal · exoneration
auto-da-fereligious freedom
Right to practice faith
religious tolerance · ecumenism · freedom of conscience · pluralism · religious liberty
auto-da-fepardon
Official release from punishment
clemency · amnesty · absolution · mercy · forgiveness