ITALY
706
ITALY
ami established a congregation there. Ladies of high rank protected the new doctrine, especially a certain countess Rangone. As a sign of the spirit of opposition against Rome, we may mention the satires which were published, as, for instance, a letter purporting to come from Jesus Christ,- and worded in the manner of the pa- pal mandaments, announcing that our Lord contempla- ted resuming the absolute and immediate government of the Church himself. Cardinal IMorone, bishop of Modena, although evangelically inclined himself, com- plained much in his letters (1540-1544), written during his stay in Germany as papal legate, of the progress of Protestantism in his diocese, and said he was told that :V[()dena liad become Lutheran. But witli the news of the progress of the Reformation came also the informa- tion that the diiferences concernijig the Eucharist had arisen, and Bucer wrote to the Protestants of Modena and Bologna to heal the breach (1541). At Bologna, the Germans who came there to attend the university gained many supporters to evangelical views ; the most important among them was Giovanni iMollio, a Minor- ite, who labored long as a preacher and professor. The presence of the Saxon ambassador, John of Planitz, who came to Bologna with Charles V, gave the Protestants an opportunity to present a request in v.-hich they asked for the convocation of a synod, and expressed their ven- eration for the German princes who had protected Prot- estantism in their states. They hoped b}' the council to get freed from the yoke of Rome, and to obtain relig- ious liberty; in the mean time they wished only per- mission to use their Bibles witliout being on that ac- count considered as heretics. The movement was prop- agated also through other parts of the Papal States, at Faenza and Imola; and in Rome itself there were many who privately approved the doctrines of Luther. Li Naples, the principles of the Reformation were imported by the German soldiers in 1527, and they appear to have taken root, for an impeii.il edict was issued in 1536 to counteract the Protestant tendencies by threatening the severest punishments against the so-called heretics. Yet in the same year the emperor himself sent to Na- ples the man who was destined to play the most imjior- tant part in the evangelization of Italy. Juan Valdez came to Naples as secretary of the viceroy. Position, education, intelligence, and character combined to make him influential. A small but eminent circle silently formed around liim for reciprocal edification and the promotion of an inner, living Christianity. Among them were count Galeazzo Caraccioli, nejihew of pope Paul IV ; the martyr Pietro Carnesecchi, Roman proto- notary; Giulia Gonzaga, duchess of Trajetto; Vittoria Coloniia, tlie widow of Pescara ; and the noble confessor Isabella iVIaurica. Valdez only continued liis evangel- izing labors for four years: he died in 1540. But his work was continued by two of his followers, Pietro JMar- tyr Vermigli and Bernardino Occhiiio. The former, hav- ing been sent as prior to an Augustinian convent at Naples, read some of Bucer's and Zwingle's works, and, having become converted to their doctrines, he began working in the same direction as Valdez. He delivered lectures on the epistles of St. Paul, which were attended not only by his own moidvs, but also by the most distin- guished members of the clergy and the laity. In the mean time the Capuchin Occhino, confessor of Paul III, general of his order, and one of the most eminent men of tlie Church at the time, was invited to preach the Lent sermons at Naples, first in 1536. and again in 1539. An attentive reading of the Bible had alreadv caused hnn to regard faith as the only means of salvation; his intercourse with Valdez strengthened him still more in liis views; he began preaching justification by faith, and gained many adherents by his fiery eloquence. Al- though none of these men thought as yet to separate irom the Church of Rome, they were soon looked upon with suspicion. Tlie Tlieatine Cajetan, friend of the zealot Caraflf^i, was the first to call attention to them. \ ermigh was summoned to appear, and to justify liim-
self, but was saved from any annoyance this time by the interference of several cardinals. Soon after, havin/,' been at Naples for about three years, he demanded lii.s recall ; and having been appointed prior at Lucca, he began to labor for the evangelization of this new field. New persecutions finally decided him to separate openly from the Church of Rome, and to flee the country for safety. Three of his most intimate disciples accompa- nied him : Paolo Lacisio, afterwards professor at Stras- burg, Theodosio Trebellio, and GiuUo Terenziano. Eigh- teen others followed him soon after ; among them Celso Martinengho, who died as pastor of the Italian congre- gation at Geneva ; Em. Tremellio, who, after various vi- cissitudes, became professor of Hebrew at the Academy of Sedan, and H. Zanchi, who occupied a distinguished place among the most eminent theologians of Germany. At Florence Vermigli met with Occhino, who, stimulated by his example, also sacrificed his position, and left Ita- ly. Another champion of the Reformation, the learned Celio Secundo Curione, replaced for a while Martyr in the congregation at Lucca, and afterwards labored at various places, until he also was obliged to seek safety in flight, and went to Switzerland.