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| ⚫ | ] German woodcut showing an alleged host desecration. In the first panel the hosts are stolen, in the second the hosts bleed when pierced by a Jew, in the third the Jews are arrested, and in the fourth they are burned alive.]] | ||
| {{neutrality}} | |||
| {{factual}} | |||
| '''Host desecration''' is a ] act committed against a consecrated ]. | '''Host desecration''' is a ] act committed against a consecrated ]. | ||
| ⚫ | ==Background== | ||
| ⚫ | In the ], both ] and ] ] churches have adopted the concept of ], which was first officially recognized at the ] of 1215. The concept holds that during the celebration of the ] the offerings of bread and wine are changed: their substance is transformed respectively into the body and blood of ], while the appearance of bread and wine remain. Since Christians believe Jesus to be "true God and true man", his body and blood in the form of the consecrated host are ] in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Theft, sale, or use of the host for any purpose other than that specified by the laws and traditions of the Churches is considered a grave sin and sacrilege. In the ] the act incurs the penalty of automatic ]; except in the case of danger of death, this excommunication can only be lifted by the Apostolic See. (See ], Canon 1367.) It was widely believed that under certain circumstances, such as disbelief or desecration, the host can display supernatural properties. | ||
| ⚫ | Other Christian churches, especially those of ] denominations, have similar beliefs regarding ] related to the Eucharist and the ] (or Lord's Supper); however, they differ with Catholics and Orthodox Christians in their beliefs about the meaning of the ], and the ] of Jesus. | ||
| ⚫ | ==Background |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | Other Christian churches, especially those of Protestant denominations, have similar beliefs regarding ] related to the Eucharist and the ] (or Lord's Supper); however, they differ with Catholics and Orthodox Christians in their beliefs about the meaning of the ], and the ] of Jesus |
||
| Host desecration has been associated with groups identified as inimicable to Christianity. Notably, it plays an important part in rituals of ], particularly the ]. | Host desecration has been associated with groups identified as inimicable to Christianity. Notably, it plays an important part in rituals of ], particularly the ]. | ||
| ==Accusations against Jews== | ==Accusations against Jews== | ||
| ⚫ | ] tapestry.]] | ||
| Accusations of host desecration leveled against the ] were a common pretext for massacres and expulsions throughout the ] in ]. At the time, the concept of ] — that the Jewish people were responsible for the death of Jesus — was a generally accepted Christian dogma. It was claimed that Jews stole consecrated hosts and desecrated them to reenact the ] by stabbing or burning the host or otherwise misusing it. These accusations may have been based on the paradoxical belief that Jews considered the host the literal body of Jesus; by crucifying it they imagined they were crucifying Jesus anew. They were believed to use blood that flowed from the host to get rid of the "fœtor Judaicus," or to color their cheeks to give them a fresh and rosy appearance. | |||
| ⚫ | In some variants of this myth, the stabbed host would shed drops of blood. This idea may be based on the natural phenomenon because scarlet colonies of a '']'' (also called for this reason ''Micrococcus prodigiosus'') may sometimes form on stale food kept in a dry place, bearing similarity to drops of blood. Later variants appear to further vilify Jews, depicting them as burying the host in an attempt to hide it, rather than converting. Where the wafer was buried, a new spring burst forth from the ground. In one instance, Jews were said to be burying pieces of a pierced host in a meadow, which then transformed into butterflies that healed cripples and blind persons. In another example, angels and doves flew out of a stove in which Jews were burning the desecrated host. Again, the pieces fluttered out of a swamp, and a herd of grazing ], on seeing them, bowed down before them. The blood from the host was said to have splashed the foreheads of the Jews, leaving an indelible mark that betrayed them. | ||
| Accusations of host desecration leveled against the ] were a common pretext for massacres and expulsions throughout the ] in ].{{citation needed}} At the time, some considered the Jewish people to be responsible for the death of Christ. It was claimed that Jews stole consecrated hosts and desecrated them to reenact Christ's ].{{citation needed}} | |||
| ⚫ | Variations in the claims aside, Jews in the Middle Ages were frequently victims of similar accusations, considered more serious desecration of other revered items, such as relics or images of Jesus and the saints. The accusations were often supported only by the testimony of the accuser, who may potentially bear a prejudice against the accused Jew, or the Jewish people. Despite this, some alleged perpetrators were tried and found guilty, on little evidence or under coercive confession. | ||
| These accusations may have been based on the belief that Jews also considered the host the literal body of Jesus; by crucifying it they imagined they were crucifying Jesus anew.{{citation needed}} They were believed to use blood that flowed from the host to get rid of the "fœtor Judaicus," or to color their cheeks to give them a fresh and rosy appearance. | |||
| ⚫ | ] German woodcut showing an alleged host desecration. In the first panel the hosts are stolen, in the second the hosts bleed when pierced by a Jew, in the third the Jews are arrested, and in the fourth they are burned alive.]] | ||
| ⚫ | The penalities for Jews accused of defiling Hosts were severe. False confessions were coerced by torture, and accused Jews were condemned and burned, sometimes with all the other Jews in the community, as happened in ] in 1243, in ] in 1389, and in many German cities, according to Ocker's writings in the ''Harvard Theological Review''. According to William Nichol in ''Christian Antisemitism'', "over 100 instances of the charge have been recorded, in many cases leading to massacres." Many Jews were killed for host desecration until it started to wane with the advent of ]. | ||
| In some variants of this claim, the stabbed Host would bleed, inducing ] in the Jew.{{citation needed}} Later variants appear to further vilify Jews, depicting them as burying the Host in an attempt to hide it, rather than converting. Where the wafer was buried, a new spring burst forth from the ground.{{citation needed}} | |||
| ⚫ | In one instance, Jews were said to be burying pieces of a pierced host in a meadow, which then transformed into butterflies that healed cripples and blind persons. |
||
| ⚫ | Variations in the claims aside, Jews in the Middle Ages were frequently victims of similar accusations, considered more serious desecration of other revered items, such as relics or images of Jesus and the saints. |
||
| ===Violence against Jews=== | |||
| ⚫ | The penalities for Jews accused of defiling Hosts were severe. False confessions were coerced by torture, |
||
| ===Occurrences of the accusations against the Jews=== | |||
| ⚫ | ] tapestry.]] | ||
| Accusations of host desecration first arose in the middle of the thirteenth century, after the ] definition of the doctrine of ] (]) led to an increased ] of the consecrated host. The origin of ] is complex and other events of the thirteen century such as | |||
| the loss of the ] and the expansion of ] and the ] into ] played roles in the trend of ] Jews. Accusations of host desecration served as a validation for existing antisemitism rather than a primary cause. | |||
| ], 1477.]] | ], 1477.]] | ||
| The first recorded accusation was made in ] at Berlitz, near Berlin, and in consequence of it all the Jews of Belitz were burned on the spot, subsequently called ''Judenberg''. Similar accusations, resulting in extensive persecution of Jews, were brought forward in ], at Paris; ], at Laa, in ]; ], at ], near ], and at Korneuburg, near ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at Enghien (see ]); ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at Segovia; ], at Ems; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at Sternberg, in Mecklenburg-Schwerin; ], at Berlin; ], at Mittelberg, in ]; ], at Sochaczew, in Poland. The last Jew burned for stealing a host died in ], according to ], quoting from Manasseh b. Israel. Casimir IV. of Poland (]), ] (]), and Sigismund August of Poland (]) were among those who repudiated the accusation, the repetition of which gradually ceased after the Reformation. (source: ''Jewish Encyclopedia'') | The first recorded accusation was made in ] at Berlitz, near Berlin, and in consequence of it all the Jews of Belitz were burned on the spot, subsequently called ''Judenberg''. Similar accusations, resulting in extensive persecution of Jews, were brought forward in ], at Paris; ], at Laa, in ]; ], at ], near ], and at Korneuburg, near ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at Enghien (see ]); ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at Segovia; ], at Ems; ], at ]; ], at ]; ], at Sternberg, in Mecklenburg-Schwerin; ], at Berlin; ], at Mittelberg, in ]; ], at Sochaczew, in Poland. The last Jew burned for stealing a host died in ], according to ], quoting from Manasseh b. Israel. Casimir IV. of Poland (]), ] (]), and Sigismund August of Poland (]) were among those who repudiated the accusation, the repetition of which gradually ceased after the Reformation. (source: ''Jewish Encyclopedia'') | ||
| Line 37: | Line 24: | ||
| ==Accusations against hunters== | ==Accusations against hunters== | ||
| In late ] and ]s, hunters who used the newly invented ] were occasionally accused of striking a pact with the devil. The hunter would hire a |
In late ] and ]s, hunters who used the newly invented ] were occasionally accused of striking a pact with the devil. The hunter would hire a Jew to steal a consecrated eucharistic host, which was then suspended from trees using strings. The hunter would load his ], turn his back to the wafer and fire over his shoulder right through the host. Blood which dripped from the wafer was then allegedly collected and poured into the molten lead used to cast ]s. The hunter was supposed to cast ten bullets this way, nine of which would never miss a game, regardless of the distance or difficult conditions. One of the ten bullets, however, belonged to ] and no person could tell in advance what (or whom) would be hit by it. | ||
| == |
==See also== | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| == References == | |||
| * ] (1997). "Host, desecration of". '']'' (CD-ROM Edition Version 1.0). Ed. Cecil Roth. Keter Publishing House. ISBN 965-07-0665-8 | |||
| ⚫ | * ] | ||
| ⚫ | * ] ''Antisemitism; The Longest Hatred'', Methuen London | ||
| ⚫ | * ] ''Ideology of Death'', Ivan R. Dee, ISBN 1-56663-088-6 | ||
| ⚫ | * Christopher Ocker, Ritual Murder and the Subjectivity of Christ: A Choice in Medieval Christianity, The Harvard Theological Review, Vol. 91, No. 2 (Apr., 1998), pp. 153-192 | ||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | * | ||
| ⚫ | *] | ||
| ⚫ | *] ''Antisemitism; The Longest Hatred'', Methuen London | ||
| ⚫ | *] ''Ideology of Death'', Ivan R. Dee, ISBN 1-56663-088-6 | ||
| ⚫ | *Christopher Ocker, Ritual Murder and the Subjectivity of Christ: A Choice in Medieval Christianity, The Harvard Theological Review, Vol. 91, No. 2 (Apr., 1998), pp. 153-192 | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 17:00, 5 November 2006
Host desecration is a sacrilegious act committed against a consecrated host.
Background
In the Middle Ages, both Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches have adopted the concept of transsubstantiation, which was first officially recognized at the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215. The concept holds that during the celebration of the Eucharist the offerings of bread and wine are changed: their substance is transformed respectively into the body and blood of Jesus, while the appearance of bread and wine remain. Since Christians believe Jesus to be "true God and true man", his body and blood in the form of the consecrated host are adored in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Theft, sale, or use of the host for any purpose other than that specified by the laws and traditions of the Churches is considered a grave sin and sacrilege. In the Catholic Church the act incurs the penalty of automatic excommunication; except in the case of danger of death, this excommunication can only be lifted by the Apostolic See. (See Code of Canon Law, Canon 1367.) It was widely believed that under certain circumstances, such as disbelief or desecration, the host can display supernatural properties.
Other Christian churches, especially those of Protestant denominations, have similar beliefs regarding rituals related to the Eucharist and the Last Supper (or Lord's Supper); however, they differ with Catholics and Orthodox Christians in their beliefs about the meaning of the Last Supper, and the Real Presence of Jesus.
Host desecration has been associated with groups identified as inimicable to Christianity. Notably, it plays an important part in rituals of Satanism, particularly the Black Mass.
Accusations against Jews
Accusations of host desecration leveled against the Jews were a common pretext for massacres and expulsions throughout the Middle Ages in Europe. At the time, the concept of deicide — that the Jewish people were responsible for the death of Jesus — was a generally accepted Christian dogma. It was claimed that Jews stole consecrated hosts and desecrated them to reenact the crucifixion of Jesus by stabbing or burning the host or otherwise misusing it. These accusations may have been based on the paradoxical belief that Jews considered the host the literal body of Jesus; by crucifying it they imagined they were crucifying Jesus anew. They were believed to use blood that flowed from the host to get rid of the "fœtor Judaicus," or to color their cheeks to give them a fresh and rosy appearance.
In some variants of this myth, the stabbed host would shed drops of blood. This idea may be based on the natural phenomenon because scarlet colonies of a Serratia marcescens (also called for this reason Micrococcus prodigiosus) may sometimes form on stale food kept in a dry place, bearing similarity to drops of blood. Later variants appear to further vilify Jews, depicting them as burying the host in an attempt to hide it, rather than converting. Where the wafer was buried, a new spring burst forth from the ground. In one instance, Jews were said to be burying pieces of a pierced host in a meadow, which then transformed into butterflies that healed cripples and blind persons. In another example, angels and doves flew out of a stove in which Jews were burning the desecrated host. Again, the pieces fluttered out of a swamp, and a herd of grazing oxen, on seeing them, bowed down before them. The blood from the host was said to have splashed the foreheads of the Jews, leaving an indelible mark that betrayed them.
Variations in the claims aside, Jews in the Middle Ages were frequently victims of similar accusations, considered more serious desecration of other revered items, such as relics or images of Jesus and the saints. The accusations were often supported only by the testimony of the accuser, who may potentially bear a prejudice against the accused Jew, or the Jewish people. Despite this, some alleged perpetrators were tried and found guilty, on little evidence or under coercive confession.
The penalities for Jews accused of defiling Hosts were severe. False confessions were coerced by torture, and accused Jews were condemned and burned, sometimes with all the other Jews in the community, as happened in Berlitz in 1243, in Prague in 1389, and in many German cities, according to Ocker's writings in the Harvard Theological Review. According to William Nichol in Christian Antisemitism, "over 100 instances of the charge have been recorded, in many cases leading to massacres." Many Jews were killed for host desecration until it started to wane with the advent of Protestantism.
The first recorded accusation was made in 1243 at Berlitz, near Berlin, and in consequence of it all the Jews of Belitz were burned on the spot, subsequently called Judenberg. Similar accusations, resulting in extensive persecution of Jews, were brought forward in 1290, at Paris; 1294, at Laa, in Austria; 1298, at Röttingen, near Würzburg, and at Korneuburg, near Vienna; 1299, at Ratisbon; 1306, at Saint-Pälten; 1325, at Cracow; 1330, at Güstrow; 1337, at Deggendorf; 1338, at Pulka; 1370, at Enghien (see Brussels); 1388, at Prague; 1399, at Posen; 1401, at Glogau; 1410, at Segovia; 1420, at Ems; 1453, at Breslau; 1478, at Passau; 1492, at Sternberg, in Mecklenburg-Schwerin; 1510, at Berlin; 1514, at Mittelberg, in Alsace; 1558, at Sochaczew, in Poland. The last Jew burned for stealing a host died in 1631, according to Jacques Basnage, quoting from Manasseh b. Israel. Casimir IV. of Poland (1447), Martin Luther (1523), and Sigismund August of Poland (1558) were among those who repudiated the accusation, the repetition of which gradually ceased after the Reformation. (source: Jewish Encyclopedia)
Accusations against hunters
In late medieval and early modern ages, hunters who used the newly invented firearms were occasionally accused of striking a pact with the devil. The hunter would hire a Jew to steal a consecrated eucharistic host, which was then suspended from trees using strings. The hunter would load his rifle, turn his back to the wafer and fire over his shoulder right through the host. Blood which dripped from the wafer was then allegedly collected and poured into the molten lead used to cast bullets. The hunter was supposed to cast ten bullets this way, nine of which would never miss a game, regardless of the distance or difficult conditions. One of the ten bullets, however, belonged to Satan and no person could tell in advance what (or whom) would be hit by it.
See also
References
- Roth, Cecil (1997). "Host, desecration of". Encyclopedia Judaica (CD-ROM Edition Version 1.0). Ed. Cecil Roth. Keter Publishing House. ISBN 965-07-0665-8
- Jewish Encyclopedia
- Robert S. Wistrich Antisemitism; The Longest Hatred, Methuen London
- John Weiss Ideology of Death, Ivan R. Dee, ISBN 1-56663-088-6
- Christopher Ocker, Ritual Murder and the Subjectivity of Christ: A Choice in Medieval Christianity, The Harvard Theological Review, Vol. 91, No. 2 (Apr., 1998), pp. 153-192