Roman Inquisition (Holy Office)

On 21 July 1542, with the constitution "Licet ab initio", Pope Paul III founded the Roman Inquisition, later called the Holy Office, to combat the spread of the Reformation in Catholic countries. Censorship and the Index of Forbidden Books followed shortly afterwards. According to the Britannica, the extirpation of heresy in Italy was thereby vigorously pursued. The Holy Office was the first of the Roman congregations and claimed jurisdiction over all Christians, even over cardinals. Among those who stood before it were Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei. In 1908 it was renamed the Holy Office because the name Inquisition no longer suited the times; in 1965 Paul VI turned it into the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Period

21 Jul 1542-7 Dec 1965 (423 years)

Country

Italy, Vatican City

Institutions

Holy See
Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition (Holy Office)

Category

Heresy trials, Persecution, Censorship

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Paul III (Pope, established the Roman Inquisition in 1542)
Paul IV (as Cardinal Carafa, representative of the counter-reaction, later pope)
Pius V (Pope)
Paul VI (Pope, gave the Holy Office a new order in 1965)

Background

Course of events

1. In 1965 Pope Paul VI recorded: Paul III founded the Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition in 1542 for the actual purpose of prosecuting heresies, punishing offences against the faith, prohibiting books and appointing inquisitors. In 1908 Pius X renamed it the Congregation of the Holy Office because the name Inquisition no longer suited the times. On 7 December 1965 it became the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Motu proprio, Einleitung und Nr. 1

   „condidit Sacram Congregationem Romanae et Universalis Inquisitionis, cui finem proprium attribuit persequendi haereses, et consequenter compescendi delicta contra fidem, libros proscribendi, Inquisitores in universa Ecclesia nominarsdi“

   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Motu proprio, Einleitung

   „Anno vero MCMVIII, cum temporum iam non congrueret adiunctis appellatio Romanae et Universalis Inquisitionis, eam S. Pius X Constitutione Sapienti consilio in Congregationem Sancti Officii mutavit.“

   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Motu proprio, Nr. 1

   „Quae hactenus appellata est Sacra Congregatio Sancti Officii , in posterum appellabitur Congregatio pro doctrina fidei“

2. Paul III established the "Sacra Congregatio Romanae et universalis Inquisitionis seu sancti officii" with the constitution "Licet ab initio" of 21 July 1542. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the occasion was the Reformation and the penetration of "heresy" into Catholic countries. The Britannica calls the introduction of the Inquisition into Italy in 1542 and of censorship and the Index in 1543 agencies for combating heresy.
   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Abschnitt The Holy Office at Rome

   „prompted Paul III to establish the "Sacra Congregatio Romanae et universalis Inquisitionis seu sancti officii" by the Constitution "Licet ab initio" of 21 July, 1542.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Paul III.

   „while by the introduction of the Inquisition“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Paul III.

   „into Italy (1542), the establishment of the censorship and the Index (1543), and the approval of the Society of Jesus (1540), most efficient agencies were set on foot for combating heresy.“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. After the failure of reconciliation with the Protestants in 1541, according to the Britannica the papacy relied on the counter-reaction represented by Cardinal Carafa, later Pope Paul IV: the Inquisition and censorship were established and the extirpation of heresy in Italy was vigorously pursued.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel Paul IV.

   „the papacy committed itself to the reaction advocated by Caraffa; the Inquisition and censorship were set up (1542, 1543), and the extermination of heresy in Italy undertaken with vigour.“

See also

• 1231-1542 · 311 years

  The Inquisition: origins, procedure, punishments

  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Vatican City
  • Expropriation
  • Torture
  • Heresy trials
  • Persecution
• 1233-1966 · 733 years

  Book burnings and the Index of Forbidden Books

  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
  • Censorship
• Person 28 Jun 1476-18 Aug 1559 · 83 years old

  Pope Paul IV (Gian Pietro Carafa)

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Expropriation
  • Heresy trials
  • Persecution
• 23 May 1536-31 Mar 1821 · 284 years

  Portuguese Inquisition

  • Brazil
  • India
  • Portugal
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Expropriation
  • Torture
  • Heresy trials
  • Persecution
• Person 1548-1600 · about 52 years old

  Giordano Bruno

  • Italy
  • Heresy trials
  • Murder
• Person 15 Feb 1564-8 Jan 1642 · 77 years old

  Galileo Galilei

  • Italy
  • Admission
  • Heresy trials
  • Censorship

Original documents to read

1. Church document
   Heiliger Stuhl: Paul VI.: Motu proprio Integrae servandae (Umbenennung und Neuordnung des Heiligen Offiziums), 7 December 1965. Original (retrieved 12 Oct 2026)

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910): Inquisition, 1 January 1910. Original (retrieved 12 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Paul (popes), 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 12 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 22 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.