Pope Pius VI

Giovanni Angelico Braschi was pope from 1775 to 1799. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia he issued an edict that renewed all restrictions against the Jews enacted since the 13th century: tombstones were forbidden, synagogues could not be remodelled or enlarged, Jews had to wear the yellow badge on their hats inside and outside the ghetto, could not have shops outside the ghetto, employ Christian nurses or drive through Rome; attendance at conversionist sermons was enforced.

Life dates

1717-1799 (about 82 years old)

Country

Italy, Vatican City

Institutions

Holy See
Papal States

Category

Anti-Judaism, Censorship

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Giovanni Angelico Braschi was born at Cesena on 27 December 1717, elected pope on 15 February 1775 and died at Valence in France on 29 August 1799.
   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 12 (1911), Michael Ott, Einleitung

   „Born at Cesena, 27 December, 1717; elected 15 February, 1775; died at Valence, France, 29 Aug., 1799.“

Response of the Church

1. Pius VI issued an edict which renewed all the restrictions enacted from the 13th century. Censorship of books was strictly enforced. Jews were not permitted tombstones in their graveyards, could not remodel or enlarge their synagogues and could have no intercourse with converts to Christianity. They had to wear the yellow badge on their hats inside and outside the ghetto, could not have shops outside the ghetto, engage Christian nurses for their infants or drive through the city of Rome; their attendance at conversionist sermons was enforced.
   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Popes, The, Abschnitt Pius VI.

   „Pius VI. (1775-1800) issued an edict which renewed all the restrictions enacted from the thirteenth century.“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Popes, The, Abschnitt Pius VI.

   „Jews were not permitted any tombstones in their graveyards; they were forbidden to remodel or enlarge their synagogues“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Popes, The, Abschnitt Pius VI.

   „they were required to wear the yellow badge on their hats both within and without the ghetto“

   Evidence: Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906), Artikel Popes, The, Abschnitt Pius VI.

   „they might not drive through the city of Rome; and their attendance at conversionist sermons was enforced“

See also

• 1555-1870 · 315 years

  Ghetto of Rome in the Papal States

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
• 1577-1847 · 270 years

  Compulsory sermons for Jews, Gregory XIII obliges them in 1577 and 1584 to listen to conversion sermons

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
• Person 1760-1829 · about 69 years old

  Pope Leo XII

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
  • Censorship

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 12 (1911), Michael Ott: Pope Pius VI, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Jewish Encyclopedia (1901 bis 1906): Popes, The (Gotthard Deutsch, Joseph Jacobs). Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.