A JACOBEAN IN PERNAMBUCO? THE CASE OF PRIEST BERNARDO DA SILVA DO AMARAL (1772-1776)

Abstract

This article analyzes Priest Bernardo da Silva do Amaral’s story. He was a confessor and a spiritual guide in capitania de Pernambuco during the second half of the 18th century. Pe. Bernardo used to tell their followers that “kissing and hugging, and having some mischievous dealings, was not a sin”; in fact, it “served to a higher union of the Spirits, and the service of God”. Arrested by the vicar general of the bishopric of Pernambuco, Amaral had his indictment “founded on the finest Jacobean tradition”. He was forwarded to the Inquisition in Lisbon, where he was found guilty of the crimes of solicitation and molinosism. Because of this, we shall examine the divergence between the accusation performed by Pernambuco’s ecclesiastic judgment and the conviction enforced by the Holy Office Court in Lisbon. Furthermore, we shall demonstrate that the war against Jacobean, supported by Pombalism, may have inspired the vicar general of Pernambuco to categorize Priest Bernardo’s deviations as “jacobices”.

Keywords
Spiritual guidance; Jacobean; Molinosism; Inquisition; Bishopric of Pernambuco