Black magic priest
September 20, 2012
"He really typifies all of the major types of learned magic, from summoning and conjuring demons, to exorcising demons to the powers of cloaking himself, making himself invisible," said John Chuchiak IV, a professor at Missouri State University who translates and publishes documents recording the opening of the trial in his new book "The Inquisition in New Spain 1536-1820"(John Hopkins University Press, 2012).
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At the start of the trial, Calderón was denounced in a speech by Miguel López de Legazpi, the Secretary of the Holy Office, who would later become a conquistador in the Philippines. In translation, the trial records state that "many persons have made it known before him [Legazpi] that the said Calderón knows of the Black Arts and that he learned them from others." The records go on to claim that Calderón is able to make himself invisible and can travel across great distances in a short amount of time. "It's just fascinating. The story just goes on and on," Chuchiak told LiveScience of the more than 100 pages of trial records.
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According to the trial records, Calderón claimed that he went to hell itself to acquire some of his abilities. At one point, the records say he was in Naples, working for a viceroy.
"He and three men went to explore a cave. He said it was 3,000 leagues below the surface of the Earth," said Chuchiak, summarizing the Spanish language account. Apparently, the men got stuck there, with most of Calderón's companions dying.
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When Calderón was arrested, his library was seized. None of the books contained the signature of the devil; however, some intriguing books were found, including Albertus Magnus' "Secrets,"a manual on how to conduct exorcisms, and a book by Dr. Arnaldo de Villanueva called the "Treasure of Treasures,"in which it describes techniques to find buried treasures. The library also held "archival letters written in some mysterious writing, a certain cipher that he claimed that he could read," Chuchiak said. "No one else could read it."
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Why a priest like Calderón may have strayed so far off may be due to two rather earthly things — bragging rights and financial gain.
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His superpowers were, of course, false, said Chuchiak; if Calderón could have made himself invisible or teleported between continents, he could have escaped his trial. That, Chuchiak added, is always the problem with people who claim they could perform black magic.
"They [the inquisitors] always challenge them to practice their black art. But they didn't do it, they couldn't do it," said Chuchiak. In the end, Calderón was just a man who had made great claims and was now facing trial. "Obviously he's just boasting," Chuchiak said.
16th-Century Trial Records Reveal Priest's Magic 'Superpowers'
[,,,]
At the start of the trial, Calderón was denounced in a speech by Miguel López de Legazpi, the Secretary of the Holy Office, who would later become a conquistador in the Philippines. In translation, the trial records state that "many persons have made it known before him [Legazpi] that the said Calderón knows of the Black Arts and that he learned them from others." The records go on to claim that Calderón is able to make himself invisible and can travel across great distances in a short amount of time. "It's just fascinating. The story just goes on and on," Chuchiak told LiveScience of the more than 100 pages of trial records.
[,,,]
According to the trial records, Calderón claimed that he went to hell itself to acquire some of his abilities. At one point, the records say he was in Naples, working for a viceroy.
"He and three men went to explore a cave. He said it was 3,000 leagues below the surface of the Earth," said Chuchiak, summarizing the Spanish language account. Apparently, the men got stuck there, with most of Calderón's companions dying.
[,,,]
When Calderón was arrested, his library was seized. None of the books contained the signature of the devil; however, some intriguing books were found, including Albertus Magnus' "Secrets,"a manual on how to conduct exorcisms, and a book by Dr. Arnaldo de Villanueva called the "Treasure of Treasures,"in which it describes techniques to find buried treasures. The library also held "archival letters written in some mysterious writing, a certain cipher that he claimed that he could read," Chuchiak said. "No one else could read it."
[,,,]
Why a priest like Calderón may have strayed so far off may be due to two rather earthly things — bragging rights and financial gain.
[,,,]
His superpowers were, of course, false, said Chuchiak; if Calderón could have made himself invisible or teleported between continents, he could have escaped his trial. That, Chuchiak added, is always the problem with people who claim they could perform black magic.
"They [the inquisitors] always challenge them to practice their black art. But they didn't do it, they couldn't do it," said Chuchiak. In the end, Calderón was just a man who had made great claims and was now facing trial. "Obviously he's just boasting," Chuchiak said.
16th-Century Trial Records Reveal Priest's Magic 'Superpowers'
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