Unveiling Superstition in Vieste: Popular Culture and Ecclesiastical Tribunals in the 18th-Century Kingdom of Naples

• Published in: Religions (Basel, Switzerland ) Vol. 15; no. 10; p. 1202
• Main Author: Romano, Francesca Vera
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-10-2024
• Subjects: 16th century; 18th century AD; 20th century; Archives & records; Catholic churches; Company legal issue; Ecclesiastical courts; ecclesiastical tribunal; Exorcism; Government regulation; Heresy; History; Jurisdiction; Kingdom of Naples; Laws, regulations and rules; Magic; Popular culture; Protestant Reformation; Religious aspects; Research methodology; Sixtus V (Pope) (1520-1590); Social aspects; Superstition; Trials; Vieste; Witchcraft; Women; Italy
• ISSN: 2077-1444; 2077-1444
• DOI: 10.3390/rel15101202

This study aims to analyse two trials involving magic, superstition, exorcism, and witchcraft, which were held in 1713 in the Diocese of Vieste (present-day Apulia), Kingdom of Naples. It aims to illuminate the dynamics between the Church, magical practices, and the territorial context, providing insights into this less-explored period in inquisition history when the Catholic Church’s fight against superstition was beginning to wane. The first trial against Rita di Ruggiero is very rich in detail, giving us a clear vision of which magical practices were used during the Modern Age. Additionally, it touches, albeit only marginally, on a theme that will be crucial for the duration of these practices in the Kingdom of Naples: the complex interactions between state and ecclesiastical authorities. The second 1713 trial involving Elisabetta Del Vecchio explores accusations of bewitchment, contributing to our understanding of witchcraft paradigms.