Cattalian Inquisition

The Cattalian Inquisition was a failed attempt by the Holy See to prosecute individuals accused of crimes related to religious doctrine and alternate religious beliefs during the late 16th century. The Cattalian Inquisition was, at first, simply a localised version of the Roman Inquisition which was widespread across Italy and Malta at the time.

In 1616, the Bishop of Celestine refused to enforce an excommunication of a leading Cattalian priest who had been a member of the cloth for more than forty years. This deeply angered the tribunal in Celestine, who wrote to the King and ordered him to either instruct the Bishop to follow their instructions or both the Bishop and the King would face retribution in Rome for supporting a heretic. The King refused to get involved, and the Bishop was thrown out of office by the Pope. This led to an outcry in Cattala and the King was forced to intervene, by reinstating the bishop. The monarchy was excommunicated by Pope Clement VIII and the King and Bishop formally separated from the Catholic Church and withdrew all cardinals and officials from the Roman Catholic faith.