Innocent VIII

He was the "most powerful of all the Popes." He claimed to be "Vicar of Christ," "Vicar of God," and "Supreme Sovereign over the Church and the World." He claimed the right to depose Kings and Princes; and that "All things on earth and in Heaven and in Hell — are subject to the Vicar of Christ."

He brought the Church into supreme control of the State. The Kings of Germany, France, England, and practically all the Monarchs of Europe, obeyed his will. He even brought the Byzantine Empire under his control. Never in history has any one man exerted more power! He . . .

ordered two Crusades,

decreed Transubstantiation,

confirmed Confession to priests,

declared Papal Infallibility,

forbade the reading of the Bible in the vernacular,

ordered the extermination of heretics,

instituted the Inquisition, and

ordered the Massacre of the Albigenses!

More blood was shed under his direction, and that of his immediate successors, than in any other period of Church history, except in the Papacy's effort to crush the Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries. One Would think Nero, the Beast — had come to life in Name of the Lamb!

Papal power was maintained by the Inquisition. The Inquisition, called the "Holy Office," was instituted by Pope Innocent III, and perfected under the second following Pope, Gregory IX. It was the "Church Court for Detection and Punishment of Heretics." Under it, everyone was required to inform against Heretics. Anyone suspected, was liable to torture, without knowing the name of his accuser. The proceedings were secret. The Inquisitor pronounced sentence, and the victim was turned over to Civil Authorities to be imprisoned for life — or to be burned! The victim's property was confiscated, and divided between the Church and the State.

In the period immediately following Pope Innocent III, the Inquisition did its most deadly work against the Albigenses — but also claimed vast multitudes of victims in Spain, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.

Later on, the Inquisition was the main agency in the Papacy's effort to crush the Reformation. It is stated that in the 30 years between 1540 and 1570 — no fewer than 900,000 Protestants were put to death in the Pope's attempt for the extermination of the Waldenses.

Think of Monks and Priests, in holy garments — directing, with heartless cruelty and inhuman brutality — the work of torturing and burning alive innocent men and women, and doing it in the Name of Christ — by the direct order of the "Vicar of Christ!"

The Inquisition was the most notorious and devilish thing in human history! It was devised by Popes, and used by them for 500 years, to maintain their power. For its evil record — none of the subsequent line of "Holy" and "Infallible" Popes have ever apologized!