December 26 -- Feast of Blessed Paganus of Lecco

Lecco seems like a nice place to not be a heretic. 

Paganus of Lecco served the Dominican Order for Fifty years, eventually bearing the title Inquisitor General.  I'd like to say that Grand Inquisitors -- those who came a couple centuries after Blessed Paganus -- gave the job a bad name.  I'd like to say that, but I am not sure it is true.  When Paganus joined the Dominicans in 1224,  the Inquisition already had forty years of suppressing heretics to its credit.  By 1252, the ironically named Pope Innocent IV had authorized the use of torture by the Inquisition.  Compulsory testimony was often followed by foot-roasting, water-boarding, the rack, and strappado.  Saving folks' souls from their own consciences was a rough business. 

Paganus succeeded Saint Peter the Martyr as the Inquisitor General of the Dominicans.  The Cathars had iced Pete in 1252, which suggests that Paganus might have had a couple of decades on the job before the Cathars 86-ed him too.  He left office the hard way in 1274.  It's nice to think that Saint Dominic, who had welcomed Paganus into the Dominican Order, was also on hand to welcome him into Heaven.  What's that?  You're wondering whether an Inquisitor General who likely tortured false confessions of heresy from folks and then sentenced them was entitled to a place in Heaven?  It's not for me to judge -- I was just commenting that it would be nice if Dominic was on-hand if he were judged worthy. 

If you're wondering about Peter' headgear, check out the link above for more info.  Credo in deum patrem...