Papal Bull of Pope Pius V

(PAPAL BULL)

Rome

1566

On f. 10v. the newly installed Pope Pius V (1566-1572) forbids “any Hebrew man or woman from offending in any manner of speech” their Christian neighbors. As Cardinal Ghislieri, the Pope had formerly been at the head of the Roman Inquisition, in which capacity he led the assault on Jewish literature during the preceding decade. With him the policy of repression resumed. On ff. 14r.-15v. the infamous regulations of 1555 were renewed and the concessions made by his predecessor Pope Pius IV revoked. By the terms of Cum Nimis Absurdum, the Papal Bull issued by Paul IV in 1555, a ghetto was established in Rome, Jewish economic activities were circumscribed, synagogues limited to one per town, and contact between Jews and Christians forbidden. Cecil Roth, The Jews of Italy (1946), pp. 294-305; EJ IV, col. 1496 and XIII, col. 857