Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents

Timeline

From the oldest documented event to the present. Each bar shows the period over which the established events extended, the golden dot marks the publication of the report, the red line is today. Persons are in the top row, their line runs from birth to death. Mouse wheel or dragging moves through time, Ctrl+mouse wheel (two fingers on a phone) zooms; the arrow keys and + / − work too. Pontificates appear in the background once the visible span is under 300 years.

As a table

PeriodDurationEntryCountry
301-19111610 years Simony: the buying and selling of spiritual offices and graces, from the 4th century to the Roman Curia Italy, Vatican City
380-3855 years Execution of Priscillian in 385, the first execution of Christians for heresy, on the accusation of bishops Germany, Spain
388-3891 year Callinicum 388: Christians burned down a synagogue at the instigation of their bishop, and Bishop Ambrose of Milan forced the emperor to drop rebuilding and punishment Syria
389-3912 years Alexandria around 391: at the instigation of Bishop Theophilus the temples were destroyed, the images of the gods melted down for the church, and the books of the Serapeum plundered Egypt
412-4153 years Alexandria 412 to 415: Bishop Cyril drove the Jews out of the city, and a Christian mob led by a reader of his church murdered the philosopher Hypatia Egypt
517-816299 years Serfs and slaves owned by churches and monasteries in the early Middle Ages Germany, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom
517-58164 years Gallic and Frankish synods 517 to 581: bans on sharing meals and marriage with Jews, Easter curfew, exclusion from office France
576less than 1 year Clermont 576: after the synagogue was destroyed, Bishop Avitus gave the Jews the choice between baptism and expulsion France
590-60414 years Pope Gregory I (590 to 604): pagans in Sardinia were to be forced into conversion with crushing payments, blows, torments and confinement Italy
612-69482 years Visigothic kingdom 612 to 694: forced baptism, removal of children and enslavement of the Jews, decreed and confirmed at the Councils of Toledo France, Spain
750-1440690 years Donation of Constantine, a forged charter on papal rights of rule France, Italy, Vatican City
767-7692 years Rome 768/769: Antipope Constantine and his followers were blinded, and the Lateran Synod had the blind man beaten and thrown out Italy
823-8241 year Rome 823: two high papal officials were blinded and killed in the Lateran by servants of Pope Paschal I, and the pope shielded the murderers Italy
847-1628781 years Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals around 850: about a hundred forged papal letters, part of canon law for centuries France, Italy
848-87022 years Gottschalk of Orbais 848/849: condemned twice for his doctrine of predestination, flogged and imprisoned until his death Germany, France
897-9047 years Cadaver Synod of 897: Pope Stephen VI had his dead predecessor Formosus exhumed, put on trial and thrown into the Tiber Italy
903-9118 years Rome 903/904: Christopher threw Pope Leo V into prison, Sergius III overthrew both; according to the Britannica he had them strangled Italy
954-96410 years Pope John XII (955 to 964): elected at 18 on his father's orders, deposed, bloody revenge on opponents Italy
1018-108971 years Pavia 1018/1022 and Melfi 1089: children of clerics were declared unfree property of the Church, and priests' wives were to be enslaved Italy
1022less than 1 year Orléans 1022: a council condemned thirteen clerics and laymen as heretics, and King Robert had them burned alive France
1032-104816 years Benedict IX sold the papacy in 1045: installed as a youth, three times pope, three popes at once Italy
1095-1291196 years Crusades to the East Germany, France, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey
1180-1233about 53 years old Conrad of Marburg, papal persecutor of heretics in Germany Germany
1184-1699515 years Persecution of the Waldensians France, Italy, Spain
1199-1917718 years Prohibition and restriction of the Bible in the vernacular for lay people France, Spain, Vatican City
1204less than 1 year Sack of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade Turkey
1209-122920 years Albigensian Crusade France
1215-1592377 years Fourth Lateran Council: compulsory badge for Jews Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Vatican City, United Kingdom, Austria
17 Mar 1230-27 May 12344 years Crusade against the Stedingers 1232 to 1234, peasants on the Lower Weser declared heretics for refusing to pay dues Germany
1231-1542311 years The Inquisition: origins, procedure, punishments Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Vatican City
1233-1966733 years Book burnings and the Index of Forbidden Books France, Italy, Spain, Vatican City
1300-1562262 years Sale of indulgences, forgiveness of sins for money Germany, Vatican City, United Kingdom
1307-13147 years Arrest, torture and burning of the Templars France
1337-13381 year Deggendorf 1337/38, murder of the Jewish community over an alleged desecration of the host and a pilgrimage lasting centuries Germany
1369-1415about 46 years old Jan Hus Czechia
1378-139113 years The 1391 pogroms in Spain: years of inflammatory sermons by Archdeacon Ferrand Martínez, thousands of Jews murdered, survivors forcibly baptised Spain
1382-142846 years England 1382 to 1428: persecution of the Lollards, burnings of heretics, ban on the English Bible, Wyclif's bones dug up and burned United Kingdom
1411-14154 years Spain 1411 to 1415: mass conversions by Vicente Ferrer, exclusion law at his request, the forced Disputation of Tortosa and a papal bull against the Jews Spain
1412-1431about 19 years old Joan of Arc France
1420-143111 years Crusades against the Hussites 1420 to 1431: Pope Martin V called for the destruction of the "heretics" in Bohemia, and several crusading armies marched into Bohemia Germany, Czechia
1420-1498about 78 years old Tomás de Torquemada, Grand Inquisitor of Spain Spain
1430-1793363 years Witch hunts in Europe Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom
1 Jan 1431-18 Aug 150372 years old Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) Italy, Spain, Vatican City
1452-2023571 years Papal bulls on conquest and enslavement and the "Doctrine of Discovery" Bolivia, Portugal, Vatican City
21 Sep 1452-23 May 149845 years old Girolamo Savonarola Italy
23 Mar 1475-20 Jun 14783 years Ritual murder trial of Trent 1475, the Jewish community is tortured and executed after the death of the child Simon Italy
28 Jun 1476-18 Aug 155983 years old Pope Paul IV (Gian Pietro Carafa) Italy, Vatican City
1478-1834356 years Spanish Inquisition Spain
10 Nov 1483-18 Feb 154662 years old Martin Luther Germany
1486-1860374 years Spain 1486 to 1860: statutes of "purity of blood" (limpieza de sangre) in religious orders, cathedral chapters and the Inquisition Spain
1499-1610111 years Spain 1499 to 1610: forced baptism, persecution and expulsion of the Moriscos Spain
19 Apr 1506-21 Apr 15063 days Lisbon 1506: two Dominicans called for the extermination of "heretics", and more than 2,000 baptised Jews were murdered within 48 hours Portugal
23 May 1536-31 Mar 1821284 years Portuguese Inquisition Brazil, India, Portugal
21 Jul 1542-7 Dec 1965423 years Roman Inquisition (Holy Office) Italy, Vatican City
1548-1600about 52 years old Giordano Bruno Italy
1555-1870315 years Ghetto of Rome in the Papal States Italy, Vatican City
15 Feb 1564-8 Jan 164277 years old Galileo Galilei Italy
1569less than 1 year Bull "Hebraeorum gens" 1569, Pope Pius V expels the Jews from the Papal States Italy, Vatican City
1571-1776205 years Spanish Inquisition in the Americas (Mexico, Lima, Cartagena) Colombia, Mexico, Peru
24 Aug 1572-3 Oct 157241 days St Bartholomew's Day Massacre 1572 and the reaction in Rome France, Vatican City
1577-1847270 years Compulsory sermons for Jews, Gregory XIII obliges them in 1577 and 1584 to listen to conversion sermons Italy, Vatican City
1601-1878277 years Castrati in the papal choir of the Sistine Chapel from 1601 Italy, Vatican City
1731-17321 year Expulsion of the Salzburg Protestants 1731/32 by Prince-Archbishop Firmian Austria
1838less than 1 year Sale of 272 enslaved people by the Jesuits in Maryland United States
23 Jun 18581 day Mortara case 1858, a Jewish child is taken from his parents on the orders of the Inquisition Italy, Vatican City
1883-1999116 years Residential schools for Indigenous children in Canada Canada
1914-200086 years Abuse in Irish homes and industrial schools (Ryan Report) Ireland
1917-198164 years Scotland, Smyllum Park and Bellevue, children's homes of the Daughters of Charity 1917 to 1981 (Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry 2018) United Kingdom
1922-200381 years Crimen sollicitationis, secret instruction of the Holy Office on abuse cases involving clergy (1922, 1962) Vatican City
1922-199674 years Magdalen Laundries in Ireland (McAleese Report) Ireland
1922-199876 years Homes for unmarried mothers and their children in Ireland (Mother and Baby Homes) Ireland
11 Feb 19291 day Lateran Treaties of 1929 between the Holy See and Mussolini's government Italy, Vatican City
1933-198451 years Scotland, children's homes of the Sisters of Nazareth 1933 to 1984 (Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry 2019) United Kingdom
20 Jul 19331 day Reich Concordat of 1933 between the Holy See and the German Reich Germany, Vatican City
1939-198950 years Stolen newborns in Spain (niños robados) Spain
1939-19456 years Slovak State under the priest Jozef Tiso 1939 to 1945, disenfranchisement and deportation of the Jews Slovakia
1939-19456 years Forced labourers in Catholic institutions in the German Reich 1939-1945 Germany
1940-202383 years Archdiocese of Baltimore: 2023 report of the Maryland Attorney General on 156 abusers and more than 600 abused children United States
1940-200262 years Sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston (Attorney General's report 2003) United States
1941-201978 years Legionaries of Christ: abuse by the founder Marcial Maciel and other priests Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United States
1945-202277 years Sexualised violence in the Diocese of Mainz since 1945 (EVV study) Germany
1945-202075 years Sexual abuse by clerics in the Diocese of Münster (study by the University of Münster) Germany
1945-202378 years Diocese of Osnabrück and Archdiocese of Hamburg, University of Osnabrück study on sexualised violence since 1945 (2024) Germany
1945-202277 years Diocese of Passau, University of Passau study on sexual abuse and physical violence by clergy 1945 to 2022 Germany
1945-201974 years Diocese of Würzburg, expert report of 2025 commissioned by the Independent Commission for Reappraisal (1945-2019) Germany
1945-201065 years Sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church in the Netherlands (Deetman Commission) Netherlands
1945-201974 years Sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising (expert report 2022) Germany
1945-195611 years Child migration to Australia: Catholic agencies sent children from England to institutions of the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Nazareth (IICSA 2018) Australia, United Kingdom
1945-199247 years Violence and sexual abuse at the Regensburger Domspatzen (Weber Report) Germany
1946-201973 years Archdiocese of Berlin, expert report of 2021 on sexual abuse by clerics since 1946 Germany
1946-201468 years Sexual abuse by Catholic clerics in Germany (MHG study) Germany
1946-200256 years Archdiocese of Philadelphia, grand jury report of 2005 on abuse by 63 priests and cover-up by Cardinals Krol and Bevilacqua United States
1947-19514 years Ratline via Rome: the priest Draganović and the escape of Klaus Barbie Argentina, Bolivia, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Austria
1948-199143 years Scotland, Benedictine schools Fort Augustus and Carlekemp 1948 to 1991 (Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry 2021) United Kingdom
1950-201060 years Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Belgium (parliamentary report 2011) Belgium
1950-201969 years Sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Colorado (Special Master's report 2019) United States
1950-201969 years Sexual abuse by Catholic clerics in Illinois (Attorney General's report 2023) United States
1950-200252 years United States, John Jay Report of 2004 on sexual abuse by Catholic priests and deacons 1950 to 2002 United States
1950-202272 years Sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Kansas (Kansas Bureau of Investigation report 2023) United States
1950-198333 years Scotland, boarding schools of the Marist Brothers in Largs and Dumfries 1950 to 1983 (Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry 2021) United Kingdom
1950-202575 years Violence and abuse in church institutions in Austria (Klasnic Commission) Austria
1950-202272 years Sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church in Portugal (Independent Commission 2023) Portugal
1950-198939 years Sexual abuse in Catholic institutions in Australia (Royal Commission) Australia
1950-202272 years Sexual abuse in the environment of the Catholic Church in Switzerland (pilot study, University of Zurich) Switzerland
1950-201363 years Victoria, Australia: parliamentary inquiry "Betrayal of Trust" into the handling of child abuse (2013) Australia
1950-202070 years Sexual violence in the Catholic Church in France 1950 to 2020 (CIASE Report) France
1955-199338 years New Zealand, Marylands School and Hebron Trust, abuse by the Brothers of St John of God (Royal Commission 2023) Australia, New Zealand
1957-199033 years Canisius-Kolleg Berlin and other Jesuit schools, abuse and beatings by priests (Raue Report 2010) Germany
1958-202163 years Sexualised violence by clergy in the Diocese of Essen (IPP study 2023) Germany
1960-201252 years England, Benedictine schools of Ampleforth and Downside, abuse and cover-up (IICSA 2018) United Kingdom
1960-199333 years Sexual abuse in schools run by religious orders in Ireland (Scoping Inquiry 2024) Ireland
1960-202363 years Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Spain (Ombudsman's report 2023) Spain
1962-201048 years Sexual abuse in six dioceses of Pennsylvania (grand jury report 2018) United States
1962-200240 years Abuse and cover-up in the Diocese of Ferns (Ferns Report) Ireland
1965-201954 years Sexual abuse by clerics in the Diocese of Aachen (WSW expert report 2020) Germany
1965-197712 years Mount Cashel orphanage: abuse by Christian Brothers and an arrangement with the justice system (Hughes Commission) Canada
1967-200134 years Diocese of Trier, University of Trier study on sexual abuse during the terms of office of Bishops Stein and Spital (1967-2001) Bolivia, Germany, Ukraine
1970-201545 years England and Wales, state inquiry (IICSA) into abuse in the Catholic Church 1970 to 2015 United Kingdom
1975-201843 years Handling of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Cologne (expert report 2021) Germany
1975-198914 years Abuse by priests in the Archdiocese of St. John's, Newfoundland (Winter Commission) Canada
1975-200429 years Abuse and cover-up in the Archdiocese of Dublin (Murphy Report) Ireland
1975-200227 years Peru, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, abuse by the founder and leadership, dissolved by the Vatican in 2025 Peru
1976-19771 year Christian von Wernich, police chaplain during the Argentine military dictatorship Argentina
1978-201436 years Cover-up of abuse in the Archdiocese of Freiburg (report of the File Analysis Working Group) Germany
1981-201029 years Diocese of Hildesheim, the case of the priest "Anton P.", institutional failure 1981 to 2010 (IPP expert report 2017) Germany
1990-201828 years Sexual abuse by clerics in Poland (church survey 2019) Poland
1992-201927 years The case of Theodore McCarrick (Vatican report 2020) Vatican City, United States
12 Apr 1994-16 Apr 19945 days Church of Nyange 1994: parish priest Athanase Seromba convicted of genocide Rwanda
17 Apr 1994-8 Jun 20017 years Rwanda 1994: massacres at the Benedictine convent of Sovu, two nuns convicted in Brussels in 2001 Belgium, Rwanda
27 Mar 1995-27 Feb 19982 years The Groër case: abuse allegations against the Archbishop of Vienna Vatican City, Austria
1996-200913 years Cover-up in the Diocese of Cloyne and the attitude of the Vatican (Cloyne Report) Ireland, Vatican City
2004-201410 years Construction of the bishop's residence in Limburg for around 31.5 million euros Germany
2011-20198 years The Karadima case: conviction and dismissal from the clerical state Chile, Vatican City
8 Apr 2018-31 May 201854 days Abuse and cover-up in the Church in Chile Chile
13 Jun 20201 day Diocese of Limburg, project "Listening to victims, preventing abuse" (2020), file analysis of 46 cases Germany

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