[MR] Wikipedia: Bonfire of the Vanities

Garth Groff via Atlantia atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Tue Feb 7 02:25:56 PST 2017


Noble Friends,

On this date in 1495, the charismatic Dominican priest Fra Girolamo 
Savonarola organized his first "Bonfire of the Vanities" in Florence. 
His pious followers consigned to the flames mirrors, clothing, books, 
works of art and any other "sinful" objects that promoted vanity. These 
burnings continued for the next several years: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire_of_the_Vanities .

Saravarola was not the only priest to organize such burnings. The 
Franciscan priest Bernard of Sienna (later canonized as St. Bernardino, 
the patron saint of Italy) also held such bonfires.

Fra Saranarola eventually died in a bonfire of his own making. He defied 
Pope Alexander VI over a Holy League against a French invasion of Italy. 
The priest then refused the Pope's summons to Rome and defied a papal 
ban against his preaching. In 1497 Savonarola was excommunicated. He was 
arrested and confessed under torture to inventing his visions and 
prophesies. The priest and two followers were hanged over fires which 
consumed their bodies in 1498: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, The Laird of Mallard Lodge



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