Dealings with the Inquisition

In Short

This memoir acts as an insider’s exposé of the Roman Inquisition during the 1850s, written by a man who once held significant power within the Dominican Order. The author details his intellectual and spiritual evolution from a dedicated theologian to an outspoken critic of the Papacy. Through personal anecdotes—ranging from his service in high-ranking ecclesiastical positions to his eventual incarceration—he challenges the legitimacy of church traditions, the role of the Jesuits, and the political influence of the Holy See. The book has endured as a primary historical artifact for its vivid, if polemical, documentation of the tensions between religious orthodoxy and the rising movements for Italian political and intellectual reform.

The Story

The narrative begins with an intellectual and spiritual crisis. As a highly educated member of the Dominican Order, the author occupies prestigious chairs of theology and logic, serving as a confidant to cardinals and officials within the Church hierarchy. However, his deep study of the Scriptures leads him to a profound disillusionment with the Roman system. He finds that the more he immerses himself in the Bible, the more the dogmas of Rome—such as the worship of saints, the doctrine of purgatory, and the necessity of indulgences—begin to feel like human inventions rather than divine mandates.

His path to rebellion is gradual but steady. While serving in various administrative capacities, he begins to challenge the rigid, often hypocritical practices he observes within monasteries and the wider Roman bureaucracy. He finds the Inquisition to be less a defender of faith and more a secretive, omnipresent police force intended to maintain the political and social control of the Papacy. His refusal to conform to these expectations eventually draws the attention of the authorities.

The narrative shifts from his administrative life to his direct conflict with the Inquisition. He describes his arrest and incarceration in the Castle of St. Angelo, detailing the psychological and physical pressures brought to bear upon him. He recounts the efforts of church theologians sent to debate him, describing these encounters as intellectual victories for himself, where he consistently opposes church tradition with the teachings of the Gospel.

Throughout these trials, the author maintains a firm belief that he is on the side of true Christianity. He is particularly stung by the rumors spread by his enemies—including the Jesuits—that his religious dissent is merely a mask for political ambition or a desire for English patronage. He addresses his support for fellow patriots, such as the brothers Bandiera, as an act of moral integrity rather than political opportunism.

The book concludes by reflecting on the fall of the Roman Republic and the return of the old regime, backed by foreign bayonets. He argues that this reliance on external military force is the final proof that the Church of Rome has abandoned the teachings of Christ in favor of worldly power. He issues a direct, impassioned plea to the Pope to relinquish his temporal titles and restore the Church to its primitive, scriptural purity. He sees himself as a voice for the Italian people, calling for a total reformation that strips away centuries of clerical artifice.

How It Unfolds

The intellectual shift The author begins by describing his rise through the ranks of the Dominican Order, where he serves as a professor and vicar. He notes how his relentless study of the Scriptures increasingly clashes with the traditions of the Church, leading him to a private rejection of Catholic doctrine.

The call to duty He receives high-level appointments in Rome, which place him in the center of the Church’s administrative machinery. These roles allow him to observe the inner workings of the Vatican, providing him with the evidence he later uses to attack the institution's credibility.

The conflict deepens As his theological disagreements become harder to hide, he is targeted by the Holy Office. He describes his eventual arrest, framing his experience as a struggle between a man of truth and an institution of corruption.

The prison years He recounts his confinement within the Castle of St. Angelo, detailing the debates he holds with visiting theologians. He depicts these sessions as instances where he effortlessly defeats his opponents by appealing to the Bible rather than to canon law.

A broader vision Beyond his personal story, he broadens his critique to address the state of Italy. He argues that the country’s lack of progress is directly tied to the stifling influence of the Papacy and the Jesuits.

The final argument He concludes by calling for a complete return to the Bible as the sole authority for Christians. He invites the Pope to abandon his temporal power, insisting that true reform is only possible if the Church returns to its foundational, non-political roots.

The People

Giacinto Achilli is the narrator and central figure, whose intellectual curiosity and moral conviction drive the narrative. Initially a respected Dominican, he transitions into a resolute dissenter, viewing his break from the Church as an act of spiritual liberation. He sees himself as a martyr for truth, often placing his own life in danger to provide an eyewitness account of the Inquisition’s inner workings.

The Theologian of the Inquisition serves as the primary foil to the narrator. Sent by the Pope to reconcile the author to the Church, this figure represents the bureaucratic and traditionalist approach to faith. In the author’s account, he is consistently outmaneuvered, unable to provide satisfying answers to the narrator’s scriptural challenges.

Father General Olivieri represents the institutional loyalty the author once held. By assigning the narrator high-level duties, Olivieri expects unquestioning obedience. His interactions with the narrator highlight the widening gap between the institutional demands of the Church and the author’s personal conscience.

The brothers Bandiera are briefly featured as symbols of moral integrity and patriotic sacrifice. Their friendship with the narrator is used to defend his reputation against claims that he is merely a political agitator seeking foreign support.

Pope Gregory XVI and his successors are depicted as the ultimate architects of the corruption the author describes. While not always appearing as active characters in the dialogue, they represent the apex of the power structure that the narrator seeks to dismantle.

In Its Own Voice

"Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken and we are escaped."

The author begins the work by quoting the Psalms to characterize his liberation from the Church.

"The principal object of the Inquisition is to possess itself, by every means in its power, of the secrets of every class of society."

He explains his view that the Holy Office functions primarily as an intelligence-gathering police force.

"I find no ordinance of the kind instituted by the Lord; of Him indeed it is written, that He fasted 'forty days and forty nights;' and it appears that He took nothing during that time; but He has not taught us to do it now."

During a theological debate in prison, he challenges the Church’s mandatory Lenten fast as a human invention rather than a divine requirement.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an argument for the supremacy of individual conscience and the authority of the Bible over institutional tradition. It posits that the Roman Catholic Church has strayed so far from the teachings of Christ that it has effectively become a political entity rather than a spiritual one. The text centers on the question of whether a church can be considered "Christian" if it relies on secrets, inquisitorial power, and foreign military force to maintain its influence. The author argues that true faith requires the rejection of human-made dogmas and the restoration of a direct relationship between the believer and the Gospel. It is an exploration of the corruption that occurs when religious institutions prioritize their own survival and power over the moral and spiritual well-being of the people they claim to serve.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of religious dissent or the inner workings of nineteenth-century European institutions will find this memoir particularly compelling. It captures a specific moment in Italian history when the struggle for national unification was inextricably linked to the critique of papal power. The writing is passionate, often polemical, and reflects the intense religious fervor of its era.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the book's intense bias. It is a work written in the heat of conflict, and the author does not attempt to offer a balanced view; he is actively campaigning for his cause. The language is formal and occasionally ornate, typical of the nineteenth-century theological and political style, which may require a patient reader to navigate.

What stays with you is the author's relentless conviction. Whether one agrees with his theological conclusions or not, the intensity of his personal journey—from a high-ranking member of an elite religious order to a prisoner of that same institution—is a powerful study in the cost of dissent. It serves as a reminder of how deeply religious institutions once integrated themselves into the political life of the state and how, for many in that era, the act of "reading the Bible" was a radical, transformative, and dangerous pursuit. Those who appreciate historical documents that pulse with the life and anger of their authors will find this a fascinating entry into the debates of the mid-nineteenth century.