Everyone here in Acadiana (south central La.) has probably heard of the plight and persecutions of the French Catholic Acadians from Canada beginning in 1755. If not, you can find many books on this subject in your parish library. Have you ever heard, though, of the persecution and plight of the French Protestant Huguenots from France, dating from 1570 till the late 1600s? If not, there’s no use in looking for an account of it in your Lafayette parish library. I already tried and did not find even one book on the subject. It’s a story the Catholic Church would rather you never found out about. So, let me tell it to you.
August 24, 1572, was the date of the infamous St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in France. On that day, over 400 years ago, began one of the most horrifying holocausts in history. The glorious Reformation, begun in Germany on October 31, 1517, had spread to France—and was joyfully received. A great change had come over the people as industry and learning began to flourish, and so rapidly did the Truth spread that over a third of the population embraced the Reformed Christian Faith.
However, alarm bells began to ring at the Vatican! France was her eldest daughter and main pillar—the chief source of money and power. . . . King Pepin of the Franks (the father of Charlemagne) had given the Papal States to the Pope almost 1000 years earlier. Almost half the real estate in the country was owned by the clergy.
Meanwhile, back in Paris, the King of France and his Court spent their time drinking, reveling and carousing. The Court spiritual adviser—a Jesuit priest— urged them to massacre the Protestants—as penance for their many sins! To catch the Christians off-guard every token of peace, friendship, and ecumenical good will was offered.
Suddenly—and without warning—the devilish work commenced. Beginning at Paris, the French soldiers and the Roman Catholic clergy fell upon the unarmed people, and blood flowed like a river throughout the entire country. Men, women, and children fell in heaps before the mobs and the bloodthirsty troops. In one week, almost 100,100 Protestants perished. The rivers of France were so filled with corpses that for many months no fish were eaten. In the valley of the Loire, wolves came down from the hills to feel upon the decaying bodies of Frenchmen. The list of massacres was as endless as the list of the dead!
Many were imprisoned—many sent as slaves to row the King's ships—and some were able to escape to other countries. . . . The massacres continued for centuries. The best and brightest people fled to Germany, Switzerland, England, Ireland and eventually America and brought their incomparable manufacturing skills with them. . . . France was ruined. . . . Wars, famine, disease and poverty finally led to the French Revolution—the Guillotine—the Reign of Terror—the fall of the Roman Catholic Monarchy—atheism—communism etc., etc.
When news of the Massacre reached the Vatican there was jubilation! Cannons roared—bells rung—and a special commemorative medal was struck—to honor the occasion! The Pope commissioned Italian artist Vasari to paint a mural of the Massacre—which still hangs in the Vatican!
The Huguenots won a short period of relief from persecution with the ascension of Henry IV to the throne. The Edict of Nantes gave full freedom to his Protestants subjects. The signing of this Edict inaugurated an era of peace and great prosperity for France. However, for granting his subjects liberty of conscience, the king was stabbed to death by a Jesuit named Ravaillac. This Edict of Toleration was revoked in 1685, and a new storm of persecution ensued. The exodus began again with over a million Huguenots fleeing France to avoid certain torture and death.
The descendants of the survivors that reached America were determined that this tragedy should not occur here. Many of them were prominent in the founding of the country. They knew that an armed citizenry in France would have prevented this tragedy from ever happening—and as a result—they gave us the First and Second Amendments to the Constitution. They knew that freedom of religion and an armed citizenry go hand in hand. [1]
The Inquisitions
Textbooks have very little to say about this story, or about the "Dark Age" period which lasted about 1,260 years. This period began at 538 AD (which marked the end of the rule of Arian kings in Europe, and the beginning of the undisputed authority and rule of the Catholic bishops). This papal supremacy and dictatorship endured over Europe until 1798 - which was a period of 1,260 years.
Within this dark age period was the period know as "The Inquisitions," wherein the Roman Catholic Church greatly persecuted true Protestant Christians, Jews, and even Muslims. The Inquisitions lasted for approximately 700 years in total. The main component of the Inquisitions lasted from the 13th century until the 16th century, although the office of the Inquisition at the Vatican survived until the 19th century.
This movement was established as a counter to the spread of the Protestant Reformation. It was a system of tribunals by the Catholic Church, and it was responsible for persecuting any individuals accused of a wide array of crimes relating to their religious doctrines. During this period, millions of people were imprisoned, tortured, murdered, and burned at the stake. The people accused were those who spoke against any belief of Roman Catholicism, those who left the Catholic Church, or those who were not willing to join the Catholic Church. (Revelation 17:5-6)
[1] Account taken from www.reformation.org